Resources for Long Island Residents

USDA Goose management resources for all Long Island residents

 Andrew Clapper, a District Supervisor for the USDA says that residents can call his office at (718) 553-3514 for advice and management services.

NYSDEC

 DEC Region 1 (Nassau and Suffolk Counties) (631) 444-0200 for advice (NYSDEC, n.d)  DEC Region 2 (Kings and Queens Counties) (718) 482-4900 for advice (NYSDEC, n.d)

Private companies which provide goose management services

 Geese Off, Phone: (845) 278-0472 (Geese Off, 2010)

 Geese Chasers (Nassau, Suffolk, Queens Counties only), Phone: (844) 544-3373 (Geese Chasers, n.d.)

 Long Island Geese Control. Phone: (631) 656-7084 (LI Geese Control, n.d)

 Environmental Geese Control (Nassau and Suffolk Counties only). Phone: (631) 827-2900

Email: envirogeese@yahoo.com (Environmental Geese Control, n.d)

Goose waste removal service

 Scoopy Doo. Phone: (516) 676-0083 (Scoopy Doo, n.d)

Goose management service

 Geese Peace, Email: info@geesepeace.com (Geese Peace, n.d)

Resources for residents in selected municipalities for which information was available. For municipalities that are not listed, residents can call the USDA or NYSDEC.

Kings County

 Call the USDA or NYSDEC at numbers listed above

Queens County

 Call the USDA or NYSDEC at numbers listed above

Nassau County

 Town of Oyster Bay Tom Licata, Assistant Director for the Department of Environmental Resources says residents can call the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Environmental Resources. The phone number for the department is (516) 677-5811 (Town of Oyster Bay, n.d.)

Suffolk County

 Town of Babylon Richard Groh, Chief Environmental Analyst says residents can call town hall for advice. The town hall phone number is (631) 957-3000 (Town of Babylon, n.d.) From the town website: “Residents are encouraged to call Volunteers for Wildlife at (631) 423-0928 or the Star Foundation at (800) 564-5704 for concerns involving birds, ducks, geese and other fowl wildlife.” (Town of Babylon, n.d.)

 Town of Brookhaven Anthony Graves, Chief Environmental Analyst says residents can call the town hall for advice. The town hall phone number is (631) 451-8696 (Town of Brookhaven, n.d.).

 Town of Huntington Bob Lietzke, Environmental Programs Coordinator says residents can call the town hall for advice. The town hall phone number is (631) 351-3000 (Town of Huntington, n.d.)

Hunting Information

The NYSDEC can assist with information regarding hunting guidelines. For assistance, you can contact the Region 1 Office which serves Nassau and Suffolk County (631) 444-0200 or (718) 482-4900 for the Region 2 Office if you reside in Brooklyn or Kings Counties (NYSDEC, n.d.).

Permit Information

The NYSDEC can assist with information regarding permits. For assistance, you can contact the Region 1 Office which serves Nassau and Suffolk County (631) 444-0200 or (718) 482-4900 for the Region 2 Office if you reside in Brooklyn or Kings Counties (NYSDEC, n.d.)

People feed waterfowl in the Stony Brook area of Long Island Credit: Doug Kerr

Research Needs

As previously mentioned, research studies pertaining to the ecology of Canada geese on Long Island are lacking. Though there are a variety of management strategies taking place to reduce the goose population there are no efforts to track the success rate of such strategies. Although citizen science efforts compose a significant contribution to scientific research, Long Island may benefit even more from scientific studies which focus on specific attributes of population dynamics-such as the existence of predators and resource availability. Furthermore, the concerns about water quality on Long Island and suspicions about the role of Canada geese in connection with such issues warrants examination of the matter. Though the technique of coliform sourcing is not completely developed, the pairing of statistical models with a DNA library such as was demonstrated by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County can strengthen investigations of water quality conflicts. Expanding research efforts for Canada geese on Long Island can help to ensure that resources are allocated to appropriate causes. Christian Granelli, a Planner for the Town of Huntington mentioned that groups of Canada geese are often found in recharge basins within the town. This observation carries with it implications for water quality management, as recharge basins filter water through the ground and the water may potentially reach drinking water sources (United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), n.d.). Studying water which has originated from recharge basins that serve as goose habitat may help to examine correlations between goose feces and elevated bacteria levels.

As the definitive effects of egg oiling on the Long Island resident Canada goose population remain to be seen, so do the effects on the behavioral ecology of the geese. Since egg oiling has been taking place for years on Long Island, it would be useful to examine what kind of changes such nest disturbances may cause in the life cycle of the geese. One aspect that could be studied is whether the biological mechanisms of a pair of geese undergo changes as a reaction to experiencing failed reproduction attempts due to egg oiling. More specifically, one could observe whether failed reproduction attempts influence how long a pair stays together, even though they normally remain together throughout their lives except in the event of death. Lastly, it should be noted that goose feces was the most common concern voiced by interviewees, as well as the driving force for the implementation of many management strategies. Therefore, an evaluation of economic factors connected to goose feces conflicts would serve to more accurately measure the impact of resident Canada geese on Long Island. An assessment of goose feces or even goose presence and its effect on real estate values in the Long Island market could bolster the economic knowledge factored into goose management plans.