Editor,
I have been living in the Pines for over 15 years and continue to love the area, the people and the environment (recent cold notwithstanding). Seeing the local fauna – the squirrels, rabbits, deer, occasional fox, and the various birds – are part of this enjoyment. However, when the animals/birds become a problem to our way of life, actions are needed. I am here specifically talking about our resident Canadian geese population; not the migratory geese or the domestic white geese, which have resided here for years – the latter of which were mistakenly sighted by a local paper as a target for removal.
Reading recent letters to the editor in the papers, I see a lot of misunderstanding by some Pines residents about Canada geese in general and potential control options in particular. These readers have let their love for nature’s animals affect logical thinking.
First, let’s consider the realities. Canada geese (CG) normally are migratory – flying south in winter and returning to their homes in summer. But many (some knowledgeable sources – e.g. Internet Center for Wildlife Damage) — say 60 percent decide to stay south when they find food and non-threatening environments there. These same sources say that a well-fed CG will excrete between one and two pounds a day of feces. Taking the middle of the spread, a CG will defecate 1.5 times 365, or over 500 pounds of excrement a year. Estimates vary, but my observations say about 300 resident CGs stay at the south and north ponds, golf course and other open areas – which adds up to around 80 tons of poop per year. One can adjust the numbers of birds down, but it’s still a lot of stuff that contains chemicals (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium), diseases (parasites, bacteria, viruses, fungus, etc.), and other noxious slippery things. These outputs eventually run off into our local ponds and bays, supporting algae growth that in turn causes oxygen depletion and fish kills.
Speaking of slippery noxious things, I help run two kids events for the OP Anglers club that involve the grounds near the veterans memorial. I can personally attest that the walkways and grass areas are littered with large amounts of goose poop. The effect is disgust and concern about possible contact of kids and feces.
Recent letters to the local papers have spread inaccurate or highly opinionated information. Examples – The OPA Board of directors have decided to euthanize the geese (wrong, they have only agreed to look into the problem); the geese have more right here than people who have moved in on their territory (wrong, the geese stop and stay at the pines because we have built a perfect place for them – ponds, open grassy areas, safety from predators – that would not have existed have the OPA not been developed. Remember the area was once forested.) and others.
I attended the OPA Board meeting dealing with this issue and heard even more disheartening things, such as physical threats to members of the board. The bottom line of this meeting was that the OPA is still fact finding about the CG problem, particularly looking into humane ways to control the population. No decisions have been made. However, in my mind the resident CG are a significant nuisance, are polluting the waters, and are a potential health hazard; and our community needs to act in their control. The web sites identify a number of humane goose control mechanisms, and I support the OPA board for taking the actions needed to find an appropriate solution to the CG overpopulation.
Walt Boge
Ocean Pines
I have been living in the Pines for over 15 years and continue to love the area, the people and the environment (recent cold notwithstanding). Seeing the local fauna – the squirrels, rabbits, deer, occasional fox, and the various birds – are part of this enjoyment. However, when the animals/birds become a problem to our way of life, actions are needed. I am here specifically talking about our resident Canadian geese population; not the migratory geese or the domestic white geese, which have resided here for years – the latter of which were mistakenly sighted by a local paper as a target for removal.
Reading recent letters to the editor in the papers, I see a lot of misunderstanding by some Pines residents about Canada geese in general and potential control options in particular. These readers have let their love for nature’s animals affect logical thinking.
First, let’s consider the realities. Canada geese (CG) normally are migratory – flying south in winter and returning to their homes in summer. But many (some knowledgeable sources – e.g. Internet Center for Wildlife Damage) — say 60 percent decide to stay south when they find food and non-threatening environments there. These same sources say that a well-fed CG will excrete between one and two pounds a day of feces. Taking the middle of the spread, a CG will defecate 1.5 times 365, or over 500 pounds of excrement a year. Estimates vary, but my observations say about 300 resident CGs stay at the south and north ponds, golf course and other open areas – which adds up to around 80 tons of poop per year. One can adjust the numbers of birds down, but it’s still a lot of stuff that contains chemicals (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium), diseases (parasites, bacteria, viruses, fungus, etc.), and other noxious slippery things. These outputs eventually run off into our local ponds and bays, supporting algae growth that in turn causes oxygen depletion and fish kills.
Speaking of slippery noxious things, I help run two kids events for the OP Anglers club that involve the grounds near the veterans memorial. I can personally attest that the walkways and grass areas are littered with large amounts of goose poop. The effect is disgust and concern about possible contact of kids and feces.
Recent letters to the local papers have spread inaccurate or highly opinionated information. Examples – The OPA Board of directors have decided to euthanize the geese (wrong, they have only agreed to look into the problem); the geese have more right here than people who have moved in on their territory (wrong, the geese stop and stay at the pines because we have built a perfect place for them – ponds, open grassy areas, safety from predators – that would not have existed have the OPA not been developed. Remember the area was once forested.) and others.
I attended the OPA Board meeting dealing with this issue and heard even more disheartening things, such as physical threats to members of the board. The bottom line of this meeting was that the OPA is still fact finding about the CG problem, particularly looking into humane ways to control the population. No decisions have been made. However, in my mind the resident CG are a significant nuisance, are polluting the waters, and are a potential health hazard; and our community needs to act in their control. The web sites identify a number of humane goose control mechanisms, and I support the OPA board for taking the actions needed to find an appropriate solution to the CG overpopulation.
Walt Boge
Ocean Pines