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Environmentalists support move to reduce geese in Anacostia River
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Related Topics: WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The Canadian goose population along the Anacostia River must be reduced to protect valuable wetlands, even if lethal measures are necessary, said representatives of government, citizen and environmental organizations.
To create wildlife habitat and improve water quality in the badly polluted river, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has started restoring wetlands in the 1,300-acre Anacostia Park, said Stephen W. Syphax, a resource manager for the National Park Service.
However, the 600 geese in the area eat the marsh plants as quickly as they are planted, Syphax said.
A slimy layer of bird droppings coat golf courses and soccer fields and the runoff in the river feeds algae that hurt aquatic life, he said.
The honk of migrating geese used to be a welcome sign of changing seasons, but the birds now live here year-round, said Jim Collier, a member of the Anacostia Watershed Citizen's Advisory Committee, at a park service hearing on the matter Wednesday.
"It's like a relative that comes to visit you at Christmas and just doesn't go home," Collier said. The geese are also pushing out other bird species, he said.
Representatives from Sierra Club, the Maryland Ornithological Society and the Earth Conservation Corps said their organizations would support lethal measures.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture would be responsible for killing the geese, park officials said. One option is to reduce the number of new geese by rubbing oil on the eggs and suffocating the embryo, Syphax said.
Another option is to collect the birds during molting season when they can't fly, said Laura Connelly, who works for the Prince George's Parks and Recreation Department. "I think you have to use all efforts combined together to make an impact," she said.
The National Park Service is asking concerned parties to send in comments and ideas until Aug. 10. They will study the impact of different solutions and again take public input before making a decision, officials said.
Comments from Examiner Readers
7:14 AM MST on Sat., Jul. 21, 2007 re: "Environmentalists support move to reduce geese in Anacostia River"
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1:32 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 20, 2007
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10:14 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 19, 2007
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4:25 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 19, 2007
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Examiner Reader said:
The human species too often selfishly forget that we SHARE this planet with thousands of other species, it is not ours exclusively. Might doesn't make right - there is NEVER any reason to wipe out or decimate any other beings. In the interest of impatience, expediancy and laziness, humans are too quick to act to kill and justify it first by devaluing the victims as "inferior", "nuisance" and "pests". Note how the same arugments were used against blacks, women and mentally ill. Dogs cause more human damage than any goose ever did, shall we round all dogs up and kill them too?There are non-violent solutions to abating the geese problem as was done successfully in Collins Park, Scotia, NY, all it takes is a little effort.
81 agree | 89 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The Anacostia River is, was and will always be a cesspool and it has nothing to do with the Geese. Perhaps we should round up and gas those who really caused this mess.
78 agree | 57 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
first, geese have no nationality; they are canada geese. when they cease to be migratory, they should be shipped to where they will do the most good; frozen or fresh, ready to eat. tom taylor
78 agree | 86 disagree
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Conner McDonald said:
With every problem comes a solution. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. How about getting those fine Methodists the Perdues to donate some labor from their poultry plant and prepare this fine fowl for the homeless shelters in and around the area and use this abundant food source to feed the hungry.
106 agree | 75 disagree
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