Port Washington North may outlaw feeding geese on public properties

While some may consider feeding geese a kind gesture, the seemingly benevolent act soon could be outlawed in Port Washington North as village officials propose to ban it on public properties.

“The feeding of these geese, which leads them to stay to get fatter and poop more, is not a good thing for our environment,” Mayor Bob Weitzner said at last Wednesday's village meeting. “The reality is there’s enough goose stuff out there for them to be fed. We don’t have to make it worse.”

If passed, Port Washington North would join a long list of Long Island municipalities that already have similar laws in place.

The proposal, however, could face opposition as “people get upset when being told something they enjoy is wrong,” said Sarah Deonarine, executive director of the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee.

During a brief discussion on the matter, Village Clerk Palma Torrisi said she takes her 2-year-old grandson to the parks.

“I take my grandson to the pond regularly to feed those ducks and the geese,” Torrisi said. “He loves it. It’s part of [his] childhood.”

But officials and environmental advocates said feeding the waterfowl can lead to malnutrition for the animal and high bacteria concentration in the water.

Kelly Hamilton, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said the state is already dealing with an overpopulation of Canada geese. With a target goal of 85,000, the estimated population is about 200,000, she said.

Overpopulation can lead to reduction of habitat and overcrowding, Hamilton said. Artificial feeding also can harm the flock because the food people commonly use are low in protein.

Other than environmental and health impacts, local officials do not like to deal with the mess the birds leave behind. One goose can produce three pounds of droppings daily, according to environmental agencies.

Municipal officials across the Island have tried many tactics, including air horns, pop guns, trained border collies, silhouettes of foxes, a “dragon-looking” device called the Goosinator and egg oiling, which prevents embryo development.

But these measures cost. Banning people from feeding geese doesn’t.

It is unclear what the penalties would be for offenders as the proposed law is being drafted. In some municipalities, a violation can carry a fine from $50 to $1,000.

“We are not gonna start arresting young kids,” Weitzner said. “It’s about, technically, by the book, we are discouraging people from doing this and if we see someone doing that, we can fine them.”

The village will host a public hearing on the matter at 7:30 p.m. March 25 at Village Hall, 3 Pleasant Ave. in Port Washington.