Another way to keep geese away

The Geneva Park District Board's battle with geese in local parks replays every year across the Chicago area. (Feb. 19, 2008.) While a short-term solution may be to chase away the geese, a better solution is to use native landscaping as a natural deterrent.

According to Chicago Wilderness, lining the perimeter of islands and bodies of water with tall native plants makes the sites less desirable for geese who love turf grass and wide open spaces where they feel safe from their natural predators. With their deep roots and natural life cycle, native plants provide numerous additional benefits including shoreline stabilization and habitat for pollinators and other fauna.

While hiring dogs may be effective in ridding Geneva's parks of Canada geese, relying on them rather than on installing native habitat misses an important opportunity to make a lasting positive difference in the parks' overall environment.

Shirlee Hoffman

Native Habitats

Project Manager

Chicago