FREDERICTON - A group in New Brunswick says it will present a petition to members of the legislature today to protest herbicide spraying.

Stop Spraying in NB says it has collected about 11,000 signatures so far.

The group organizing the event in front of the legislature in Fredericton wants the province to stop spraying forests and NB Power right of ways in New Brunswick.

It says increased clearcutting and glyphosate spraying of softwood plantations are eliminating deer food and affecting the deer population.

The group says the deer population is one-quarter what it was 30 years ago.

They say spraying has also affected the butterfly population with the removal of milkweed.

David Coon, the MLA for Fredericton South, and Gilles Lepage, who represents Restigouche West, say they will sign and table the petition at the legislature.