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Conflicts and Environmental Issues Resident Canada geese are most often the target of public complaints and management actions as their numbers are considered to be excessive (NYSDEC, n.d). Migratory geese are less often considered to be an issue, except in the case of airports which may engage in geese management at all times out of concern for bird strikes. The year -round presence of resident geese on Long Island has created conflicts for residents which range from daily struggles to lurking disturbances. The evidence which condemns the birds in the eyes of some people is at times clear and at other times, controversial. Issues with geese in the New York area can be traced back to at least several decades ago. An article titled “Annual Roundup of Geese Readied” published by the New York Times in 1980 claims: It all started when President Dwight Eisenhower played golf at one of Westchester's clubs and wondered aloud if something couldn't be done about the geese that were fouling the fairways and greens. The Department of Interior took up the problem, and in 1958 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service began relocating the county's Canada geese (NY Times, 1980). Although the translocation of geese is no longer permitted in New York, issues with the geese on golf courses remain (USDA, 2004). According to Timothy Benedict, Superintendent of the Woodmere Club in Woodmere, NY the golf course sustains damage from the geese eating the grass. Brian Benedict, Superintendent of the Seawane Club in Hewlett, NY said the golf course grass sustains damage from goose feces. Some people point to Canada geese as the source of bacterial growth and eutrophication while others worry about the safety of geese A Canada goose in Mill Pond and fellow humans when it comes to road travel. The following topics discuss the main human-wildlife conflicts specific to Cana- Credit: Terry Ballard da geese on Long Island. Contamination of water bodies
In 2011, the Long Island Groundwater Research Institute at Stony Brook University analyzed water samples from Laurel Hollow Beach in Oyster Bay (Pfoertner, 2011). The goal of the study was to try to trace the source of contamination that often resulted in closures of the beach (Pfoertner, 2011). The samples were obtained from the Nassau County Department of Health, which took samples each week at the beach from April until August or September (Pfoertner, 2011). For their study, the research institute looked at samples from 2002 to 2011 (Pfoertner, 2011). They found that high coliform levels were present in the months of June and July in 2002 and 2010 (Pfoertner, 2011). The report suggested that the high levels of bacteria may be partly due to the presence of Canada geese (Pfoertner, 2011). However, the statement was followed by clarification that the contamination could be from many sources and not just the geese (Pfoertner, 2011).
