Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
It’s no surprise that officials have battled a significant goose problem since the inception of Falls Township Community Park.
The park, located off of Penn Valley Road, is home to what seems like an endless amount of geese, and the Falls Board of Supervisors is determined to get rid of the birds and the problems they bring, once and for all.
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On Tuesday, the board voted on two purchases which they hope will be the beginning to a string of measures to significantly lower the Falls Township Community Park goose population.
The geese, which leave droppings in the paths of pedestrians and sports players, have become a violent nuisance to the park’s culture. Even attacking Vice-Chairman Jeffry Dence’s dog.
Although the board approves similar purchases each year, with no resolution to the geese problem, Falls hopes to take additional measures that will be presented to them by S&S Wildlife. A representative from S&S spoke with the board and has agreed to put together a proposal before late March on what extra steps could be taken.
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This could include a “round-up” of all the geese on the property when the birds lose their ‘flying feathers’ in June/July, chemical spraying to the grass, organized hunting of the geese before park opening hours, or even shooting a goose in front of the others to prevent the flock from coming back. The last “round-up” down by Falls was approximately five years ago.
On Tuesday, the township took the first step in authorizing a contract of $5,225 to S&S Wildlife, which includes a permit to work on the property. This purchase is for S&S Wildlife to search the property and remove all goose eggs before they are hatched. According to S&S, baby geese will often return to the place they are born, and this will help prevent more geese from being born there.
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Falls also authorized a purchase to Geese Management, which will provide a $200 weekly dog service. Geese Management will release dogs on the property, typically border collies, during slow or non-operating times, to train the geese not to land in certain areas, including for example, the soccer fields.
S&S Wildlife is expected to make a presentation to the board in the upcoming weeks.
