Kill Lawns, Not Geese
Kill Lawns, Not Geese
Wendy is a resident of Silver Beach on the north side of Lake Whatcom. She is an active citizen. Today she is our first guest writer.
This week, whil
By Wendy Harris
Wendy is a resident of Silver Beach on the north side of Lake Whatcom. She is an active citizen. Today she is our first guest writer.
This week, while Canadian Geese are molting and cannot fly, the City of Bellingham will fund an eradication plan. US Fish and Wildlife will lure geese at Bloedel Donovan and nearby residential waterfront lawns into Lake Whatcom, where they will be trapped and killed. You probably have not heard about this because there was no public hearing and it was not reported in the newspaper. I was told that this was scheduled for Friday, June 20th.
The geese have become a problem because waterfront homeowners are allowed to maintain lawns. Lawns not only attract geese, but are the primary source of phosphorus loading in Lake Whatcom. Prohibiting waterfront lawns would help save the Lake as well as the geese.
A 2007 City funded evaluation of stormwater phosphorus management stated that maintaining a vegetative border along the lakefront is one of the most effective and least expensive methods of discouraging geese. Moreover, a vegetative border would filter stormwater runoff prior to entering the Lake, thus reducing phosphorus loading. This same study concluded that stormwater management facilities would not be enough to restore Lake Whatcom’s water quality, and that the City would need to implement land use regulations.
Instead of following the recommendations of its paid consultants, the City is funding an eradication program that is proven to be ineffective. As long as the same inviting habitat remains, new geese will arrive. Given the stringent requirements set out in the TMDL, it is crucial that the City uses its limited funds wisely, adopting programs that are both effective and humane. Killing Canadian Geese is neither.
If you would like to weigh in on this issue, then please do so quickly. You may contact Bill Reilly, the City of Bellingham Storm and Surface Water Utility Manager, at 778-7900 or Email Bill Reilly at: breilly@cob.org
If you would like to learn more about alternatives to killing geese, visit the websites linked below.
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