[Peace] Rally noon-1pm; & TODAY'S POSITION ON GEESE IN ALL OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY

[Susan Parenti]

*here is a quick write-up about what the UPD needs to do to manage the
geese population, why a mass slaughter is unnecessary, and why it will not
work on its own.*

*By Ilir Sulejmani, Geese Peace Urbana *
*June 16, 2020*

Every day, local geese travel in various groups and irregular schedules
through multiple locations. One of their favorite destinations is Crystal
Lake Park, which provides the conditions they love. While they stay in the
park, the geese leave feces, which bothers the Urbana Park District. So,
they have contacted the USDA to kill 100 geese in an effort to get rid of
the problem. Their plan will not work. The Park district has not considered
that geese pass through the park from surrounding areas. The USDA will only
be killing whatever geese happen to be in the park during the time when
they show up. The very next day, a new flock will be there again, as if
nothing happened.

Only three things will keep geese out of Crystal Lake Park: (1) making it
less attractive to them, (2) giving them someplace else to go instead, and
(3) expanding nest management to the surrounding areas. These three things
*must* be combined. The park district has already tried some deterrent
strategies with limited success, but they have made a few crucial mistakes.
Their nesting management program has not addressed geese from outside the
park. These are the geese that travel into the park every day, leaving
feces. They have tried habitat modification, but the most important
program—the planting project—did not begin until last fall. These plants
take two to three years to deter geese. Lastly, the UPD has not set up a
tolerance zone where geese can go instead of Crystal Lake Park.

Luckily, the UPD has received an offer from local volunteers to set up a
tolerance zone north of I-74. Volunteers will also expand nesting
management to surrounding areas and bring in a “goosinator” to make the
park less favorable to geese. The recent planting project will cause taller
grasses to grow, making the area even less alluring to geese. On its own, a
goose slaughter will not work. When combined with these other strategies,
it is unnecessary. So, why conduct costly, mindless violence when
volunteers can enact effective, humane solutions free of charge?


-- 
*Susan Parenti*
*Educational Coordinator *

*The School for Designing a Society *www.designingasociety.net

*Like us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/designasociety>!*
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