Tick Task Force Committee

About Us

The Tick Task Force is a committee of North Oaks residents committed to eradicating deer ticks and Lyme disease in the community through deer management and education.

In the summer of 2015, the city asked concerned residents to attend a city council meeting to discuss Lyme disease. Based on the outpouring of concern, from that initial meeting, the Tick Task Force (TTF) was formed. The TTF worked with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and an epidemiology student from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health to understand the problem, to review scientific literature, and develop the North Oaks Integrated pest management program (NOIPMP). The NOIPMP is based on sound practices that had proven to be effective in other endemic areas. Practices that didn’t show consistent benefit were not incorporated into the program.

In 2015 MDH data showed incidence of tick-borne illness in North Oaks was 5 times those of our immediate surrounding communities. Thankfully, since the implementation of the NOIPMP, that rate has decreased, and according to MDH data is now similar to surrounding communities.      

Meetings

All meetings, unless otherwise noted, will be held virtually.