VERNON – With Kelowna looking at trapping and moving nuisance geese, some wonder if the north Okanagan should follow suit. However, the public seems divided on whether officials should do more or less when it comes to Canada’s namesake goose.
It’s not hard to find a gaggle of Canada geese at Kin Beach. The park is usually one of Jeanann Hart’s favourite places to visit. However, last Friday she wasn’t impressed when she had to dodge a lot of goose poop.
“You can’t even walk with bare feet,” said Hart. “It’s so gross.”
Hart was upset enough about the issue to call the Global Okanagan newsroom, and it seems other beach users agree that birds and their droppings have become a problem.
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“It is everywhere. You can’t walk anywhere without stepping in it,” complained one beach visitor.
However, others enjoying the park enjoy watching the birds and think they should be left alone.
The debate comes as the Regional District of North Okanagan reports an increase in the number of geese.
Like Kelowna, the regional district relies on egg addling and scare tactics to control the goose population, and it says steps are taken to clean up their droppings.
“For our park goose management program we have a fellow with a dog. He comes down early in the morning and in the evenings, so as not to disrupt the beach users, and scares off the geese, but we have seen an increase in the goose population this year,” said Tannis Nelson with the Regional District of North Okanagan.
Nelson says because of the increase the regional district is reviewing its current practices to see if they are sufficient.
The City of Kelowna is considering trapping a flock of geese that’s made the downtown waterfront home, and moving them to other waterways.
However, there’s no word yet on whether the North Okanagan district might also conduct a big bird roundup to help make Kin Beach safe for bare feet once again.
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