CANADA GOOSE HABITAT MODIFICATION MANUAL - UPDATES - DONALD S. HEINTZELMAN

UPDATES

Canada Goose
Habitat Modification
Manual

          Donald S. Heintzelman

From: Nancy Minich [mailto:nancyminich6575@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 4, 2018 1:05 PM
To: Kimberly Nagelhout 
Subject: Re: Sweetwater Farm Management Project ‐ Geese

Kimberly
Sadly, the township manager who was fully supporting this project passed away about 9 years ago and
the new manager did not. The new manager was more concerned with what the unknowledgeable
residents in the development thought (messy) and mowed down the meadows. Ironically, the project
won several awards for it sustainable stormwater management prior to this. The residents issue with it
looking messy was that they “thought” it lowered property values, which all landscape management
research indicates is the opposite. The supportive manager told residents it was something they have to
get accustomed to if they want to get rid of geese and help the township better manage its stormwater
runoff (from neighbor lawns that use regular fertilizers,herbicides/pesticides!) The new manager himself
did not understand stormwater or land management as he was a former police officer.

This project was ahead of the federal MS4 stormwater management that requires municipal compliance
via reports. This project exceeded those standards but they lost them of course when they mowed and
continue to mow acres of open space around the 3 ponds. I no longer work for this municipality as a
consultant because of this project. Also granting agency was not happy that they did not manage the
project as agreed upon in the grant and “wasted” substantial funds on this project.

Nancy Minich, HTR, RLA, ASLA
Principal, Registered Landscape Architect
& Registered Horticultural Therapist
NAM Planning & Design, LLC
P.O. Box 86
Lahaska, PA 18931
ph: 215.297.0681
c: 267.471.2622

From: Moria Miller [mailto:Moria.Miller@phila.gov]
Sent: Monday, January 8, 2018 12:05 PM
To: Kimberly Nagelhout 
Subject: RE: Belmont Goose Project

Hi Kim,

Thanks for contacting us. Our Ecosystem Management team provided me with the following information:

We refer to it as the "Belmont Intake Project" - see attached fact sheet. The project has drastically
reduced goose presence at that site. Phase 2 was essentially a northward extension of the meadow
described in the fact sheet. I'm not sure whether PWD actually installed fencing on Peters Island in Phase
2.

For additional information, you can contact Tom Witmer at 215-683-0216.

Best,

Moria

Moria Miller
Strategy & Communications Manager
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
www.phila.gov/parksandrec

Fairmount Park
Belmont Intake Project                                                          Goose Control Project
                                                                                      Fairmount (West) Park
Partners
        Philadelphia Water Department
         League of Women Voters
         Partnership for the Delaware
          Estuary
         Pennsylvania Fish & Boat
          Commission
         U.S. Environmental Protection
          Agency
         U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
         William Penn Foundation

Contact
            Tom Witmer (215) 683-0216

Project Description                                                                 Project site, after meadow establishment

 A very active goose feeding area next to a parking lot was causing several problems: 1) More than 10 tons of goose
 droppings per year were washed from the site into the Schuylkill River, 1/5 mile upstream of a drinking water intake
 that serves about 25% of the City of Philadelphia.; 2) Large numbers of geese had denuded and compacted riverbanks
 and the adjacent floodplain, leading to soil erosion; and 3) Goose droppings deposited on the recreation path had
 become a public nuisance.
 In 1999, a project was implemented to alleviate these problems. The project consisted of the following components:
      Invasive vegetation was removed from the site .
      Denuded goose travel lanes on the river bank were filled with soil, stabilized and planted with native shrubs.
      The bare floodplain was roto -tilled, seeded with native grasses and forbs and planted with shrubs.
      900 feet of 2-foot high fence was installed along the river bank to block goose access from the river.
      Orange construction fence was placed around the site to keep people and geese out until grasses and forbs
         became established. After establishment, a post -and-rail fence replaced the construction fence.
      An interpretive sign was installed that explains the problems associated with feeding non -migratory geese in
         that area.

                                   Benefits
                                   The project resulted in the following benefits:
                                    All the damages caused by the geese were repaired and stabilized.
                                    A meadow comprised of native grasses and wildflowers, along with shrubs, provided
                                       habitat for other animals and much more visual interest along the recreation path.
                                    Goose usage of the site dropped nearly 9 0% since it became difficult for geese to
                                       access it.
                                    The problem of goose manure laden stormwater running into the Schuylkill River
                                       was alleviated.
                    Denuded site
                                    People learned about the problem from the sign and changed their habits at this site.

                                                FAIRMOUNT PARK
                                    Environment, Stewardship & Education Division

                                                   www.fairmountpark.org                           10.25.07

FOA’s – Goose Habitat Modification Manual Page 14‐15          Wildlife Control Technology
– Vendor Verification                                          2501 N. Sunnyside Ave
                                                               Fresno, CA 93727
Vendors Selling Native Plants                                  (559)‐490‐2262
                                                               (Please note updated phone.)
       Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
        4801 La Crosse Avenue
        Austin, TX 78739                                       Turf Sweeping Equipment
        Phone: (512)‐232‐0100
        www.wildflower.org                                    Could not locate – “Goose Poop Buster” –
        (Please note new phone number.)                        www.goosepoop.com

       Wild Ones Wild Center                           Replacements:
        2285 Butte des Morts Beach Road
        Neenah, WI 54956‐1008                                 Goose Busters
        (920)‐730‐3986                                         14450 Hess Rd
        www.wildoneswildcenter.org                             Holly, MI 48442
        (Please note that their address, phone number          (800)‐521‐8777
        and website was updated.)                              www.goosebusters.net

                                                              DoodyCalls
Vendors of Habitat Modification Products                       114 4th Street SE, Suite A
                                                               Charlottesville, VA 22902
       Pentair Aquatic Eco‐Systems, Inc.                      (800)‐366‐3922
        2395 Apopka Blvd.                                      www.doodycalls.com/goose‐poop‐cleanup/
        Apopka, FL 32703
        (407)‐543‐1866                                        H Barber & Sons
        www.pentairaes.com                                     15 Raytkwich Rd
        (Please note updated company name, phone               Naugatuck, CT 06770
        and website.)                                          (203)‐729‐9000
                                                               www.hbarber.com/Cleaners/SurfRake/applicati
       Bird Barrier America, Inc.                             ons/goose‐droppings.html
        20925 Chico Street
        Carson, CA 90746
        (310)‐527‐8000                                        https://www.crittercontrol.com/services/geese
        www.birdbarrier.com                                    (800)‐274‐8837
        (Please note updated address, phone and                (855)‐550‐7841
        website.)

       Lake Restoration, Inc.
        12425 Ironwood Circle
        Rogers, MN 55374
        (877)‐428‐8898
        www.lakerestoration.com

       Nixalite of America
        1025 16th Ave
        East Moline, IL 61244
        (888)‐624‐1189
        www.nixalite.com
        (Please note updated phone and website.)