Goose Control
In 2006 Wakefield Selectmen, with the support and participation of the Friends of Lake Quannapowitt, appointed a town-wide committee to address the concerns of Canada Geese over-population in Wakefield, particularly, at Lake Quannapowitt. The large number in season, often exceeding 200 geese, with their frequent droppings created an extremely unappealing and unhealthy condition. Each goose can excrete up to three pounds of fecal matter per day.
The committee recommended the following actions:
- Retention of professional dog patrol whose responsibility is to harass the geese and chase them away from the public open land surrounding the lake and other parks.
- Water harassment via motorboat so they fly away from the lake and its surrounding lands.
The goose control program under the oversight of the town Parks Division began in 2007 and continues today from May to November each year. The combination of land and water harassment has reduced the goose population 85%, resulting in a significant decrease in the amount of goose droppings.
FOLQ members continue to monitor the goose population and report the results to the Town of Wakefield.
