REPORT TO PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Review Integrated Goose Management Plan for Central Park
Report
COUNCIL PILLARS
Enhance Community Sports, Recreational and Arts Assets
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
Promote Sustainability and Environmental Protection
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara Central Park includes the Central Park Lake, surrounded by planted areas and grass meadows that attract waterfowl. Over the past decade, the Canada Geese population has increased significantly, producing large amounts of fecal waste that exceed the daily grounds maintenance program’s capacity to keep pathways, fields, meadows, and recreational amenities clean and sanitary for public use. Each Canada Goose produces a pound of feces per day, resulting in over 175 pounds of accumulating waste per day deposited into the lake and surrounds. In addition, the Central Park Canada Goose population has become non-migratory. The daily foraging, preening and nesting behaviors create added negative impacts year-round to the park.
The management activities of the Canada Geese and Mallards are regulated by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and subsequent revisions, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). While the City has used various approved methods to deter geese, including movable predator land decoys (coyote mannequins); floating water decoys (alligator mannequins), geese panic sounds, grass treatments, and physical barriers, additional step were needed to address the community complaints and concerns, as well as to educate and inform policy and management practices that include the community’s understanding and support.
To that end, the City retained the services of avian biologist, Daniel Edelstein, who has specific Bay Area experience and has developed an Integrated Goose Management Plan (IGMP). On November 17, 2020, the Parks & Recreation Commission received a presentation on a proposed IGMP which provided research, information, and effective strategies to protect wildlife and reduce the increasingly negative and unsustainable impacts of the Canada Goose and Mallard on the Central Park lake water quality, as well as plants, pathways, recreational amenities, ballfields, and visitors’ park use.
On February 15, 2022, the Parks & Recreation Commission reviewed a second draft of the IGMP and the continued impacts the increased goose and mallard populations. The Commission recommended that Council approve the IGMP and begin immediate implementation of its management strategies. On March 22, 2022 Council approved the IGMP.
DISCUSSION
The IGMP includes the four “management actions”.
• Management Action 1: Conduct community outreach and provide information to Santa Clara residents and media to educate the general public about the current issues at Central Park and the necessary geese and mallard management actions that may be taken. Implementation of Management Action 1 will help the public understand the problems, issues, and options available to the City to address the Canada Goose and Mallard problem. This includes:
a) Preparation of information about the current population and effects caused by the Canada Geese at Central Park, and outreach to the local Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (SCVAS) chapter and the Bay Area chapter of the Sierra Club to engage in discussion of the issues. This may include a request for support from their respective Boards of Directors to communicate with their membership and public, and/or request a formal letter of support for the IGMP.
b) Enrollment of the groups' support for various effective management actions through “public scoping and public comment meetings” to ensure ongoing community understanding and support for the City’s methodology, plans and actions discussed in the IGMP.
c) Work with the City Communications Office to develop and distribute information to the local media, and informational articles and/or videos to help the general public understand the issues and proposed management actions.
• Management Action 2: Develop interpretive signs and materials to educate Central Park visitors. This includes:
a) Development of text content and graphic elements for installation along Central park pathways. The purpose is to inform visitors about the Canada Geese, Mallards and other wildlife species, the issues caused by their overpopulation and behaviors, the management strategies available to address the problems, and how and why management plans are implemented.
b) Develop other materials and programs, such as educational brochures, onsite meetings, nature walk/bird outings, and virtual components (COVID19 protocol compliant as necessary).
• Management Action 3: Effectively address the negative effects of the growing population of Canada Geese and Mallards at Central Park. This includes the implementation of four permitted management practices in conformance with Federal, State and local laws, regulatory oversight and permits. In priority order, these are:
a) Harassment Plan. The development, review, and approval of a plan for ongoing, daily, humane harassment and disturbance of Canada Goose and Mallard foraging behavior and presence in Central Park. This may include permit(s) or professional contract(s) for the supervised use of dogs.
b) Depredation Plan & Permits. Documentation and applications to obtain separate Depredation Order(s) and Permit(s) from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). This includes letter(s) of proof describing the impact of each specie, City authorization, and communication with USFWS.
c) Habitat Alteration Plan. Design and installation of effective goose and duck barriers around the perimeter of the Central Park lake, and other effective changes.
d) Goose Repellant Plan. This includes a written plan for the effective use of goose repellant products, along with any pros, cons, and public preferences.
• Management Action 4: Adoption of the written IGMP to ensure that careful, precise non-lethal management actions are implemented to manage the on-site Canada Goose and Mallard overpopulations, while protecting other migratory bird species such as the non-resident, non-breeding "winter" season look-alike "Canada goose" subspecies, Small Cackling Goose and Aleutian Cackling Goose. The Plan also contains "success criteria" and milestones that allow City personnel (including technicians/biologists) to monitor conditions, implementation, and success of the management actions. The two smaller look-alike goose subspecies will not be subject to non-lethal management actions.
Progress on Implementation of the IGMP
Since March 22, 2022 staff made improvements around the Central Park lake including:
• Management Action 2.a: Installation of infographic signs around the lake and pathways to inform patrons not to feed wildlife;
• Management Action 4: continued use of the adopted IGMP, and monitoring of the conditions, implementation, and success of the management actions;
• Installation of a Quick Coupler system around the lake perimeter to reduce the amount of goose droppings on the lake pathway; and
• Reinstallation of the water fountain in the lower part of the lake to deter geese and increase aeration.
The next steps for the continued implementation of the IGMP in 2023 and following will include:
• Management Action 1: Conduct community outreach and provide information to Santa Clara residents and media to educate the general public about the current issues at Central Park and the management actions to be taken;
• Management Action 3.c: Habitat Alteration, strategically adding shrubs to the lake area, and consideration of adding a low unobtrusive filamentous fence within the lake perimeter;
• Management Action 4: Addling Canada Goose eggs, to ensure careful, precise non-lethal management of the onsite Canada Goose population.
Regional Changes Related to Canada Geese
During the last year there have been noteworthy changes regarding Canada Geese, such as the City of Cupertino repurposing Memorial Park pond to a recreational lawn area, and the City of Foster City embarking on developing an Integrated Canada Goose Population Management Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The project is categorically exempt from CEQA under the “Class 7” (14 CCR 15307) exemption per the CEQA Guidelines because it is an action taken by the City to assure the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of a natural resource where the regulatory process involves procedures for protection of the environment. On the federal level, the action complies with federal regulator code under a valid U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) permit secured by avian biologist Daniel Edelstein and updated annually by the avian biologist. This USFWS code regulation is 50 CFR 21.52, pertaining to the allowance of non-lethal overpopulation management actions (including addling of Canada Goose eggs) for this year-round bird species present at the Central Park Lake.
FISCAL IMPACT
Park grounds maintenance activities for Central Park are included in the Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Operating Budget.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Parks & Recreation Commission agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, e-mail clerk@santaclaraca.gov.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Note and file.
Staff
Prepared by: Dale Seale, Deputy Parks & Recreation Director
Approved by: James Teixeira, Director of Parks & Recreation
ATTACHMENTS
1. Integrated Goose Management Plan (IGMP) for Central Park - Update 2023