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Friday, September 25, 2015
» Environment
Geese an ‘epidemic’ for farmers Despite rising numbers and more hunting permits, Environment Canada says the birds are not overabundant MARTIN WISSMATH ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
There are more Canada geese in the Alberni Valley every year and they’re causing problems for agriculture, says a local farmer. But Environment Canada says the iconic birds are not classified as “overabundant,” although farmers have options to obtain permits to hunt and kill them to protect their lands. “This started back 50, 60 years ago,” said Bill Thomson, who runs McCoy Lake Farm. “Now it’s an epidemic.” Thomson said his family has been farming in the Valley since the early 1900s. “One goose eats its own weight in grass every day,” Thomson said. He deals with a couple hundred of the birds that strip his property, leaving little left for his cattle to feed on, he said. “Sometimes there’s maybe 500 here. If somebody’s shooting them at some other place then they come here. If you shoot ‘em here then they go somewhere else.” Thomson allows hunters onto his property to kill the birds. Farmers in the valley are frustrated, Thomson said. One of his neighbours is chasing the geese
Environment Canada estimates there are seven million Canada geese in North America, a prevalence that has led some Alberni Valley farmers to consider the animals a pest. [WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PHOTO]
off his land with his truck “six times a day,” he said. Thomson spent $1,000 a month pumping water over the summer to irrigate his property, he said. But 200–300 Canada geese swooped in to graze and strip it again. That number of geese is
comparable to the consumption from 60–70 cows, he added. Environment Canada protects Canada geese under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act of 1994. The federal regulator recognizes the problems that the geese cause, especially for
airports and agricultural lands. Hunting licences are granted with hunters harvesting about 500,000 of the birds each year. Permits can also be obtained by farmers – called a Migratory Birds Damage or Danger permit – to destroy the birds using different
methods such as gunshot, poison or decapitation. Thomson said the permits are not as effective as hunting because a permit holder cannot use a decoy to kill the birds. Using poison risks harming other birds, he said. Environment Canada keeps track of the number of Canada geese on Vancouver Island through the annual Christmas Bird Count, said migratory birds biologist Erika Lok. So far, the federal regulator has not recorded numbers that would classify the species as “overabundant” on the Island, Lok said. There has been an increase in the number of permits received from farmers on Vancouver Island to destroy the birds, Lok noted. Because of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, Canada geese can only be legally killed with either a hunting licence or a permit; however, a permit allows landowners to destroy the birds outside the normal hunting season, Lok said. The number of birds allowed for farmers to remove depends on the size of their property, she noted. See BIRDS, Page 3
TOURISM
Summer train passengers consistent with 2014 KRISTI DOBSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
Despite the summer drought and risk of wildfires, steam train passenger numbers were on par with last year. The end of September marks the final regular fall season for the iconic Number 7 locomotive. McLean Mill manager, Neil Malbon, said passenger fares were up in June and August. Those numbers are consistent as recorded by the Chamber of Commerce at the Visitor Centre. June had a 250 per cent increase in tourists, while numbers in July were more than double last year and August was up at 137 per cent from 2014. At the mill, however, July’s hot weather and conditions resulting from the Dog Mountain fire kept some people away. “Numbers were down in July, which we attribute to the fire and smoke,” Malbon said. “We couldn’t run the steam donkey
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In July wildfire hazards forced the steam train to be replaced with the No. 11 diesel electric. [KRISTI DOBSON, TIMES]
a couple of times and that is the first time that has ever happened. I think people would rather spend time at the beach and (tourists) were scared off from the bad publicity surrounding the fire.” It was also the first time the No. 11, a diesel electric locomotive,
replaced the No. 7 on a couple of runs during the risk of wildfires. On top of the usual Italian Wine Steam Train, an additional run is scheduled to end the season on September 29. Malbon said the importance of marketing the train and McLean
Mill as tourist attractions remain a priority. More special interest groups were booked this month, which helped balance July’s decline. He said the shoulder seasons in the spring and fall bring in cruise ship passengers. “We see September as an opportunity for growth, so we are going to chase after that,” Malbon said. This month three cruise ships took advantage of the train runs, but Malbon expects upwards of seven or eight next year with repositioning cruises out of Nanaimo. Other charters this month included a group of Swedish foresters, tours out of the U.S., Tsawwassen and Vancouver and this week’s student field trip for National Forest Week. About 350 elementary students had a brief exposure to various aspects of the forestry industry. “The Grade 5’s have forestry in the curriculum so everything that was talked about will be
Autumn brings highway hazards, tire restrictions
Sharpen your blades, it’s Alberni pumpkin time
Officials are cautioning drivers about road conditions this fall, as weather and less daylight lead to more accidents.
Get your ideas ready for the Rollin Art Centre’s annual family-friendly Pumpkin Carving contest.
» Alberni Region, 3
» Art Beat, 12
reinforced in the classroom,” Malbon said. “There is a lot of value there.” Alberni’s heritage on digital media also plays an important role for worldwide coverage. For the second year, passengers have been able to purchase tickets online for the train and entrance to the mill. “People like to be able to buy online,” Malbon said. “It also helps with the impulse buy when they are on the website looking for things to do.” Malbon said it also helps cut down on the time and money spent on administrative tasks. Marketing outside the Valley has also been effective. “It brings business in and there is more word of mouth. All of that is good,” he said. After a short break, the train will take passengers to McLean Mill for the Christmas market on Nov. 27 to 29 and Dec. 5 and 6. Kristi.Dobson@avtimes.nets.
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