On September 6, 2024 we had an excellent presentation from Garreth Ashley on the importance of controlling the Canada geese population to protect our estuaries. 

Garreth is a wildlife Biologist who has work with the Guardians of the Estuaries on Vancouver Island for the last 9 years.

Estuaries are where the river water from the uplands on Vancouver Island enter the Pacific Ocean. 

The Englishman River estuary is an example of a major estuary in our immediate geographic area.

Estuaries are of critical importance to fish habitat and especially for our salmon species. 

Estuaries are characterized by small but deep rivulets in the riverbed. The water in these rivulets is cooler than in the adjacent stream and this cooler temperature water is critical for the survival to the small salmon fry ( baby salmon).

Over the last many years, it has been clearly established that Canada geese damage these rivulets when they pull out the sedge that grows along the estuaries which in turn causes erosion and subsequent damage to these critical rivulets.

In response to this damage by the geese, the Guardians of the Estuaries has developed a comprehensive “addling” program whereby eggs in the geese nests are “addled’ ( shaken ) such that the egg will not produce a newborn.

Over many years, Guardians of the Estuaries have mapped hundreds of nests on Vancouver Island and adjacent islands. As a result, the goose population has decreased significantly over the last many years thereby protecting our wild salmon stocks.

Geese in an urban area

There are many geese that also have become a nuisance and health hazard in some of our residential areas with ponds that serve as temporary off-stream storage ponds during heavy rains. These ponds also serve as reservoirs for outdoor recreation areas such as golf courses. Hence, some communities are examining ways to address their own geese issues following the leadership shown by Guardians of the Estuaries.

Prepared by,

Al MacDonald,
Speaker Committee