The Wesley Lake Commission continues to work on geese management around the lake which borders Asbury Park and Ocean Grove.
The majority of Canada goose damage complaints in the state involve accumulations of feces on lawns and walkways at homes, schools, hospitals, corporate campuses, and public parks. Geese feces damage property, compromise overall quality of life, and have the potential to pose serious health threats due to the presence of disease-causing organisms. Other damage associated with geese includes overgrazing of lawns and recreational fields, and goose aggression and human injury during the nesting season. Agricultural damage caused by Canada geese includes crop depredation to sweet and field corn, soybeans, winter wheat, rye, clover, sod, vegetables, and other crops. This damage reduces yield and may increase erosion. Natural resources such as native wetland habitats (wild rice) and wetland restoration sites (moist-soil impoundments) may also be damaged by goose grazing activities that remove and trample vegetation. Waterfowl such as Canada geese may pose serious flight safety hazards at airports. Due to their large body size, flocking behavior, and relative abundance in urban/suburban areas, geese have the potential to be involved in damaging bird-aircraft strikes that have resulted in loss of human lives, injuries, and substantial financial losses.
The Wesley Lake Commission implemented the following integrated damage management program to control the Canada Geese population around and in the Lake. The commission has noticed a significant reduction in the Canada Geese population.
In an effort to control the guess the commission has installed solar amber lights down the length of the lake. The light deters the geese at night from being on the water. Their eyelids do not close completely making it difficult to sleep.
In addition, the commission has curtailed reproduction/gg treatment through nest identification and has paid for and installed Don’t Feed the Geese educational signs. Lasers were also purchased for those who live on the lake to deter geese at night. It has an immediate effect, the commission said.