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Coalition to Prevent the Destruction of Canada Geese Page 1 of 11 <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br />The Canada goose is under Federal protection through the migratory <br />Bird Treaty Act of 1918. This act makes it unlawful to hunt, kill , sell, <br />disturb nests, purchase or possess migratory birds except as permitted <br />by regulations adopted by the Secretary of the Interior. In Rockland <br />County most municipalities have laws against the discharge of firearms. <br />Hunting is dangerously inappropriate for suburban residential <br />neighborhoods. It is our opinion that the best and safest methods for <br />people and geese are non - lethal controls. In line with this view, we <br />make the following recommendations: <br />1. ALTER THE HABITAT <br />In the wild Canada geese enjoy a varied diet, including <br />grasses, sedges, seeds, berries, aquatic plants, insects and <br />crustaceans. In suburbia the "resident" goose favorite is <br />fertilized, closely mown grass. In fact, a verdant lawn <br />leading to a pond - devoid of surrounding shrubs and trees - <br />is the ideal goose habitat. "If a Canada goose were to <br />design paradise, there would be lots of short, tender grass <br />for grazing, a pond of fresh water for drinking and security, <br />and no predators. It would look almost exactly like a park, <br />golf course, waterfront estate, cemetery or manicured <br />corporate complex." (Smithsonian, December 1994). <br />A. Grass: <br />1) Reduce grassy areas by planting large borders of ground <br />cover. Geese do not Tike to walk through such plantings. <br />2) Plant trees and shrubs. Geese tend to avoid lawns when <br />they cannot see a water body for a quick getaway. <br />3) Allow grass to grow taller. Geese do not like to walk <br />through tall grass. <br />4) Turn part of a lawn into a wild flower meadow. <br />5) At a golf course increase the rough wherever possible. <br />6) Plant grass less tasty to geese. Substitute fescues for <br />Kentucky Blue Grass. <br />B. Water Bodies: <br />1) Surround with trees and shrubs to obscure escape routes <br />and to intercept the 6 degree takeoff vector of the geese. <br />2) Install vertical rocks and fencing around ponds to limit <br />access. <br />C. Local Zoning Ordinances Or Land Use Guidelines - could <br />http://www.icu.com/geese/report2a.httn <br />Page 82 <br />4/7/00 <br />