On Wed, 5 Mar 1997 20:12:54 -0800 "Scott Richardson" <salix at halcyon.com>
writes:
>> From: Patrick Scott <scott931 at uidaho.edu>
>> I've heard some rumblings from Quebec which indicate that the
>provincial
>> gov't is planning on a spring hunt of Snow Geese in their nesting
>areas
>> which is tentatively dated for 1998. Apparently, the geese are
>bothering
>> the farmers out there, and they "need to be controlled."
>
>> If anyone has any information on the hunt, or has advice on how to
>> confront the people who are planning it, please send me a response
>> off-list. Likewise, if someone would like to send me a disagreeable
>rant
>> on the inappropriateness of my post, please send it to me off-list.
>
>
>Snow geese populations have increased tremendously in Canada and I
>believe
>wildlife managers are looking for ways to reduce the population. I
>just read an
>article on this topic, but can't remember where it was (sorry; it was
>a
>"nature" mag--glossy--recent). The article included photographs of the
>areas
>where snow geese flocks have concentrated and essentially denuded the
>landscape. These were not photos of agricultural areas, but of
>prairies/potholes (if memory serves) that have been affected so
>severely that
>researchers are concerned about their viability and recovery.
>
>My "advice on how to confront the people" would be to learn about
>their task
>first and try to come up with suggestions on how they can satisfy the
>needs of
>every interested party.

Hi Scott -

I believe the article you are referring to appeared in the Winter 1997
issue of "Living Bird", a publication of Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology. The article is titled "The Best Laid Plans...What Happens
When Conservation Efforts Work Too Well?" The authors are Robert F.
Rockwell, an ornithologist at the American Museum of Natural History;
Kenneth F. Abraham,a biologist at the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources; and Robert L. Jeffries, a botanist at the University of
Toronto.

It seems that the snow goose population in central North America has
increased nearly 300 percent since the 1960's. The increase is mainly
due to a 50% decline in the adult mortality rate, which has been brought
about by less hunting pressure and more food provided by farmers.
However, it is not the farmers who are worried.

Due to their feeding habit of "grubbing," or digging out the roots and
rhizomes of plants, the geese are destroying the coastal tundra habitat
where they breed. This was determined by a long-term study of the goose
colony at La Perouse Bay near Churchill, Manitoba.

I'd like to echo Scott's advice to learn about the problems and tasks of
the people who are advocating thinning out the snow goose population
before we "confront" them. They seem to have a legitimate reason for
what they want to do. If the snow geese are indeed destroying the
habitat (you should see the pictures!), they destroy it not only for
themselves, but for all species that live and breed there.

Cathi Pelletier, Waterbury, CT Heronwing at juno.com
"What fun we had then!
We reveled in sunshine then,
And skinned both our knees."