Sent to newspaper editors and mayor/council

In my opinion, Kelowna City Council is generally well-armed with kind, sensible, and environmentally-friendly legislators. Yet, on September 11th, our leaders voted to support the gunning of up to 200 Canada geese next year. What's wrong with this picture?
They weren't given all of the facts.

Upon first addressing this issue, Mayor Sharon Shepherd commented that she had not even heard of the Okanagan Regional Goose Management Committee, and at least a few councillors concurred. Therefore, how can we expect that council would know anything about humane methods of deterring geese from settling on our beaches and golf courses? They rely upon City Parks to do that job.

Joe Creron, City Parks Manager, delivered a presentation designed to convince council that current goose control methods are not working, and that increased attention to lethal management would be another tool in the toolbox. However, what council wasn't told is this:

1)Killing geese as opposed to relocating or scaring them away will not result in fewer numbers in our area over the long-term. Although some birds are resident here, Canada geese are migratory, and they are to be found over a vast expanse of continent. They will still sojourn in the Okanagan region, no matter how many of them our City Parks department would like to slay and throw into the landfill. It would be interesting to know how the goose management committee might determine which birds are resident here, and which ones are simply passing through. Sunglasses, perhaps?

2)There is no system in existence to monitor the dumping of human sewage into our lake from houseboats and other watercraft. Testing for the source of coliforms is currently underway by a water quality technician, but before all the facts are available, it is presumptuous to conclude that pollution of drinking water can be blamed upon Canada geese. This makes about as much sense as banning all houseboats from the lake because a few of them may be contributing to an increased coliform count. All sources of contamination need to be taken into consideration, and the possibility of e-coli from human sources cannot be ruled out until test results are examined. What we know is that goose excrement is readily found along the shoreline, on land. (Mr. Creron states that a machine is being utilized to pick up the droppings, with "terrific" results.) What we do not yet know is the source of contamination in drinking water. Assumptions are not good science.

3)It was suggested by Mr. Creron that "Oregon grape" could not replace lawn because it would not be an acceptable alternative underfoot. Yet no one had suggested Oregon grape to Mr. Creron as a possibility. Clearly he had not completely read or understood the reference manual, Habitat Modification and Canada Geese (supplied by TRACS), which details how grassy areas can be modified in order to make them less attractive to geese and still pleasing to people. The manual also includes information on visual barriers that geese would find threatening. The Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada) helped to provide information for this manual.

4)The $150,000 of taxpayer money budgeted toward goose management in the Okanagan, both non-lethal and lethal, could more successfully be applied to habitat modification, relocation, and restoring certain aquatic areas for goose habitat. Numerous cities have already paved the way toward humane, sustainable ways of dealing with human/goose conflicts. Mississauga, Oakville, Markham, and High Park in Toronto are some Canadian examples. Communities in New Jersey, Illinois and New York have also celebrated success. When will Kelowna join this growing list of cities that have used insight and compassion in dealing with wildlife conflicts?

Above all, as we struggle with the effects of climate change and species extinction, how can we justify killing as a solution? Future generations should be allowed to look into the skies to behold V-formations of these magnificent birds preparing for migration. Or will textbook photos be the only legacy left of yet another species driven to extinction by those who should have taken the time to care?

Respectfully yours,

Sinikka Crosland, President
TRACS (The Responsible Animal Care Society)
P.O. Box 26097
Westbank, B.C.
V4T 2G3
Ph/fax: 250-768-4803
tracs@shaw.ca