Managing Canada Geese at Lake Mansfield
You can help: Do not tamper with geese deterrents. Do not feed waterfowl.
Please support our Parks and Public Works Department in efforts to discourage Canada Geese at Lake Mansfield. In July last year we needed to close the lake due to water quality issues directly related to geese.
This year the town is trying preemptive measures to keep the beach area and lake water clean and open for recreation. Deterrents will be installed soon. These deterrents include lights that discourage geese from sleeping and nesting at the lake, stationary deterrents in the beach area, and an occasional wildlife control noise maker designed to move geese out of the beach and surrounding area. Note: These deterrents do not harm geese.
“I urge everyone to help police our geese deterrents as last year on multiple occasions the deterrents were tampered with or removed by unauthorized personnel. The goal is to deter the geese from the north end of the lake (beach and surrounding area) and let the geese use the south end. Last year was very successful when the DPW Team used multiple methods of deterrents and when they were left untouched. Please note The DPW does not have the resources to keep addressing the deterrents if they get tampered with as they did last year.” - Joe Aberdale, DPW Superintendent.
As goose numbers increase, so do problems, especially with goose droppings. Canada geese produce a half pound to a pound and a half of dropping every day. Small ponds like Mansfield can be negatively impacted by increasing geese populations.
LET’S KEEP WILDLIFE WILD. Feeding geese can cause unnatural behavior, pollution, overcrowding, delayed migration, poor nutrition and disease. If you care about waterfowl, please stop feeding them and allow them to return to their natural habitats.
