Canadian geese have been causing significant problems around the lake.
The Lake George Association will offer a Nuisance Waterfowl Workshop on Wednesday, April 7 at 6:30pm at the Hague Community Center, and again on Thursday, April 8 at 6:30 at the LGA office in Lake George. A growing population of Canada geese on the lake is causing significant problems for property owners, with negative impacts for both people and the lake’s sensitive eco-system.
Staff from the USDA’s Wildlife Services department will make a presentation and demonstrate techniques, such as egg oiling, that can be used during nesting season to manage the area’s over-population of geese. The workshop is free, and will last approximately one-hour with questions and answers afterward. Reservations are not required.
Damage on Lake George from both Canada geese and double-crested cormorants has already been seen. The droppings from these birds add nutrients to the lake that can lead to increased algal growth and can contain harmful bacteria such as E. coli, making swimmers sick and contaminating the drinking water provided by the lake. The presence of geese is also related to swimmer’s itch.
“We would like to prevent the populations from growing out of control before they have irreversible effects on the lake’s water quality, plant life, and landscape,” said Emily DeBolt, the LGA’s Education Director. “The LGA receives calls and complaints about geese and cormorants all summer from members, so we decided to host these workshops to help address these concerns. We also continue to encourage property owners with large lakeshore lawns to create landscaping buffers, as these can be an effective deterrent.”
The Lake George Association sought grant funding earlier this month from the Champlain Basin Program to create a Waterfowl Nuisance Management and Monitoring Program for Lake George. Public input and education, along with monitoring, surveying, data analysis and the implementation of nest management, population reduction and harassment techniques would be included in the plan. The USDA Wildlife Services already conducts population management for both geese and cormorants on numerous other bodies of water statewide, and recognizes the need for this type of work on Lake George. Through the grant, the LGA will partner with experts from the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation and the USDA Wildlife Services.