[Peace] to keep a balance, Urb Park proposes to kill 60-100 Crystal lake geese-- read & take survey

Mon May 11 12:36:32 UTC 2020

Thank you Niloofar and Deb,

I just completed the survey, having just now seen it, and I’m furious over the inhumanity of slaughtering these love creatures. I’m just as outraged at the genocide or culling as they usually refer to it, of wildlife, animals as I am of humans. 

The upgrades or improvements they are planning would be better left alone if it requires this slaughter.

I will with your permission, circulate your letter below, along with Niloofar’s on FB, along with the link to the survey and phone number.

> On May 11, 2020, at 05:01, Debra Schrishuhn via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
> 
> Outstanding, Susan and Niloofar. I took the survey last week and have been spreading the word. The geese are native, just like our corn-fed whitetail deer that sometimes form a traffic hazard in the rural parts of the county. If Crystal Lake kills all but 20 geese, by next year there will be another 80-100 geese in the park because they are widespread in this area. 
> 
> Absent natural predators (which the park officials would no doubt find even more of a "nuisance") the geese can and should be managed without wholesale slaughter, disingenuously called "Collection and Charity Donation" by park officials who want to soft-pedal their plans. And the plan to donate the meat to food banks may be well-meaning, but it is seriously flawed, as anyone who has ever tried/ learned to cook wild goose meat can attest.
> 
> Besides people taking the survey, who can we call today? Here is the main number--call and protest on behalf of the geese. 217.367.1544 <tel: 1-217-367-1544> 
> 
> Now here are the commissioners
> 
> Michael Walker / President-since 1983, reelected in 2019
> 
> Nancy Delcomyn / Vice President
> Commissioner since 1993
> Next up for election 2023 
> 
> Roger Digges / Commissioner elected in 2019
> 
> Meredith Blumthal / Commissioner
> Commissioner since 2010
> Next up for election 2021 
> 
> LaShaunda Cunningham / Commissioner
> Commissioner since 2015
> Next up for election 2021 
> 
> These folks need to feel some community heat.
> 
> One for the honkers!
> Deb
> 
> On Mon, May 11, 2020 at 1:57 AM Niloofar Shambayati via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net <mailto:peace at lists.chambana.net>> wrote:
> Susan,
> 
> Thank you so much for spreading the word about the horrific proposal to slaughter the Crystal Lake's geese to supposedly attract more visitors. Don't they see how ironic it is that the Park houses Anita Purves Nature Center, whose main goal is to help children realize that humans are part of the nature, not its masters?! Can't we accept some "inconveniences" in return for the joy of watching goslings experience life under the protection of their parents, who're partners for life? 
> 
> Please urge the commissioners to reject this proposal as cruel and of highly dubious effect.  
> 
> Niloofar Shambayati
> 
> On Sun, May 10, 2020 at 5:48 PM Susan Parenti via Peace <peace at lists.chambana.net <mailto:peace at lists.chambana.net>> wrote:
> The Urbana Park District Board of Commissioners is going to vote on Tuesday night May 12 whether or not they support the Park District's proposal to kill off 60–100 geese in Crystal Lake Park, as a way to manage them and make a balance between number of geese and size/capacities of Park.  (They intend to leave 20 geese alive). 
> 
> You can see their proposal here : 
> https:// <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K6R2HWQ>www.urbanaparks.org/projects/geese-population-and-management <https://www.urbanaparks.org/projects/geese-population-and-management/>
> 
> Inside the proposal is a 3 minute survey about how you feel about the geese in the Park—the survey puts the geese in a negative light. But please do the survey now, or at least before 6pm Tuesday night. You don't have to agree with my sentiments. 
> 
> Here is the survey: 
> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K6R2HWQ <https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K6R2HWQ>
> 
> How do I feel about this? Daily I go to the Park to see/hear the geese—they’re the main attraction. The Park District secured a grant to improve Crystal Park, and they feel that the presence of the geese gets in the way of those improvements. .  They say that lots of people won’t go to the Park because of the geese—I don’t know anyone who feels that way. But, mostly, for me the killing off of the geese is a human-centered way of thinking (if it’s good for humans, then it’s fine) and that way of thinking I want to stop as it’s a big component of why we have catastrophic climate change. 
> 
> “GEESEHERDS”  I propose that given that the swimming pool will be closed all summer, why doesn’t the Park District use 2 ex-pool employees and make them GEESEHERDS—a variation on shep(sheep)herds. These geessherds can take care of the geese, tend to their problems, turn their poop into iron-rich compost. This way the park District is free of taking care of the geese, and two people have a job. 
> 
> Please spread the word. We don’t have much time. 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Susan Parenti
> Educational Coordinator 
> 
> The School for Designing a Society www.designingasociety.net <http://www.designingasociety.net/>
> 
> Like us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/designasociety>!
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