Rusa deer at Era Beach, where they have been destroying wildlife for many years.

Much of the Royal National Park north of Wollongong will be closed next week for a National Parks operation shooting feral deer from the air.

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Licensed professional shooters will cull the deer from helicopters across the national park over three days from Tuesday, May 26.

Feral deer are destructive pests in much of NSW and they do significant damage to ecosystems by trampling native plants and damaging habitat and food sources for animals.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) said aerial shooting in the Royal National Park had removed 580 deer since it started 2020.

The carcasses are usually left where the animal falls, NPWS said, although some near walking tracks and visitor areas may be "moved".

The closures apply to all beaches and all areas east of the major roads through the park, as well as other locations.

"Deer destroy native plants by trampling plants, grazing on them and ringbarking young trees," a NPWS spokesman said.

"The hard hooves of deer cause soil erosion and compaction in sensitive areas.

"In parkland close to urban areas, feral deer can pose a risk to drivers and can damage private gardens and public amenities."

NPWS said it had been controlling deer in the Royal National Park for many years using ground shooting.

The NSW Animal Justice Party opposes the shooting and last year called on its followers to agitate for an end to the practice.

"Locals and wildlife are disturbed by helicopters and gunfire," the party said on social media.

"And the root cause of environmental harm, human impact, is ignored."

Deer were introduced to Australia for the pleasure of hunters and for many years their designation as a "game" made it harder to shoot them on environmental grounds.

Their numbers ballooned across NSW and are out of control in many areas of the state.

The list of Royal National Park areas to be closed for the deer shooting is long and includes beaches at Wattamolla, Garie, Marley Beach, Little Marley, North Era, South Era and Burning Palms (including the Figure Eight Pools).

The Coast Track, including the Jibbon Loop track, and Garrawarra Farm will be closed.

Picnic areas at Audley, walking tracks from Heathcote and all areas east of Lady Wakehurst Drive, Sir Bertram Stevens Drive and Bundeena Drive will be closed.

The environmental damage caused by feral deer is listed as a "key threatening process" for biodiversity in NSW, on the advice of the state's Threatened Species Scientific Committee.