In 2006, Wakefield Town Council, with the support and participation of FOLQ, appointed a town-wide committee to address the concerns of Canada Geese over-population in Wakefield, particularly at Lake Quannapowitt. At this time, the number of geese at the lake in the spring, summer, and fall often exceeded 200 geese daily.
Each goose can excrete up to three pounds of fecal matter per day and, according to the NH Department of Environmental Services, that waste introduces bacteria and harmful nutrients into the water that can lead to algae blooms and other environmental and health risks. Overwhelming goose droppings created an extremely unappealing condition for lake visitors and negatively impact the lake’s ecosystem and water quality.
To reduce the problem, the committee recommended a goose control program which the town still uses today.
The goose control program, under the oversight of the Town Parks Division, began in 2007 and continues today from April to November each year. The Town works with a professional patroller, Atlantic Goose, to chase geese away from public open land and to use the Town’s motorboat (funded by FOLQ) to harass the geese on the water so the fly away from the lake and its surrounding lands. 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 volunteers continue to monitor the goose population and report the results to the Town of Wakefield to inform and support these goose control efforts.
Below are the goose count numbers collected by FOLQ volunteers through the 2024 season. As you can see, while numbers of geese have risen over the last several years, they remain far below the average monthly goose counts of the pre-control days. We remain committed to collecting data to assist the town with their goose control efforts.