Nuisance Canada Geese On My Property
What Can I Do?
Problem
Canada geese are using my waterfront or lawn around my pond, creating a mess! I would rather they not be visitors!
Why is this happening?
Canada geese are much like us, they like to have a view of the water. Water views are important to them so they know they can quickly run away from predators. Combined with manicured lawns which are their favourite menu item, our lawns create the perfect conditions to entice them as visitors.
If there are no sight lines to access the water they have to fly to safety. Since this is more effort and geese are lazy and seek out the easiest path to safety, they prefer to hang around areas that offer them these clear sightlines.
What can I do?
If you want to prevent geese from using your lawn, break up that sightline. Let the grass grow longer at the water's edge. Better yet, plant some shrubs along the edge of your water. Any barrier will be a deterrent, including fencing. The sooner you break the geese's routine, the sooner they will stop the habit of using your lawn as their preferred hangout.
Changing your landscaping choices is the best long-term solution to deter geese.
Trust us, we know from experience!
Municipalities like the Town of Newmarket have used our knowledge and services in the past to help them deal with nuisance Canada Geese along
Fairy Lake, a popular area in downtown Newmarket. We planted many shrubs and plants along the edge of the dam. In doing so, we helped them decrease the numbers of geese that caused problems for people and pets that use the trail at the water's edge.
How can LSRCA help me? We offer landowners subsidized shrubs and project grants!
DIY Tree Planting Program
Every winter we offer seedling shrubs in quantities of 50 or more at rates as low as $1 a seedling to encourage people like you to plant on your land. This program is very popular and the shrubs always sell out fast! Get on
our mailing list to receive updates and
put in an order here.
Full Service Tree Planting
Because including more shrubs, plants and grasses along the edge of your water has so many other environmental benefits, there are grants available to help you with your project.
Depending on the size you are interested in planting, and the cost of your project, we may be able to offer you up to $500 towards your costs. If you have a long (30 metre) strip of waterfront land or land along a pond, we might even be able to undertake the planting ourselves. The best way to get started is by chatting with our stewardship team at 1-800-465-0437,
stewardship@lsrca.on.ca or visiting
www.lsrca.on.ca/funding for more details.
