WHITE LAKE, NY — It all started on June 26, when the Lake Association of White Lake teamed up with the USDA to combat the ongoing Canadian goose epidemic that has plagued the lakeside community. Since that time, there had been speculation as to the method and motive for exterminating the goose population. 

At the Town of Bethel’s board meeting on July 26, all parties gathered to discuss the situation. All the chairs at the Dr. Duggan Community Center board room were filled with passionate members of the Kauneonga and White Lake communities. 

Andrew Klebanow, association president, was on hand to outline the steps that the association took that resulted in 90 percent of the 160 resident geese being removed, as per a contract with the USDA Wildlife Service. The geese were captured and transported to a licensed poultry processor in commercial turkey crates. Once processed, the meat was donated to a food bank.

In describing the extent of the environmental pollution, Klebanow said, “Each bird produces about one to two pounds [of droppings] per day, which equals 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of droppings per week. If you multiply that by 52 weeks that’s 52,000 to 104,000 pounds, but instead, I am estimating the 20,000 to 40,000-pound number by multiplying 1,000 to 2,000 by 20 weeks, which is the season we, generally, visually see the geese consistently in and around the lake, specifically from June to October.”  

Additionally, “[the] droppings contain phosphorus and nitrogen, similar to commercial fertilizer, as well as bacteria and parasites that are harmful to humans and pets. The biomatter, nitrogen and phosphorus have a negative impact on lake water quality and negatively impact oxygen levels in the water which harm aquatic life. [The excrement] also [promotes] invasive aquatic plant growth [i.e. milfoil, hydrilla, etc.] which further leads to lower oxygen levels,” Klebanow said.

Klebanow said that the association’s primary concern was to improve the health and well-being of the lake community. 

The group completed research, consultation and consideration of alternative approaches before conducting their goose roundup. 

At the town’s prior meeting on June 12, board members voiced their unsettled feelings on the slaughter of the geese.

“What’s troubling to me the most [was] the lack of transparency and the lack of communication with this board and with the public,” Bethel Supervisor Daniel Sturm said at the time. 

The early June meeting concluded with the decision to request a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the USDA concerning the documentation, research and signed petition for the extermination of the geese. 

The method and reasoning

In discussing options, the USDA advised the association that due to the undermanagement of the population in the past, the only viable option was a reduction to obtain a sustainable and better-managed population. 

Kenneth Preusser, an agent with the USDA, said that with the magnitude of the population, a roundup had to be completed to get future situations under control.  

“[The roundup] is part of the solution. The other part is following up with other methods like egg nest treatment, which is coating eggs in corn oil to prevent hatching,” Preusser said.

“There are other ways of [harassment]; however, there’s studies out there that have showed that when resident Candian geese are harassed, they only go short distances, typically less than three miles… this just pushes this off to other areas of the lake,” Preusser said.

Currently, the goose population in New York State numbers 364,000; however, the population goal set by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation is 85,000 birds.

The petition process

The association gathered petition signatures from homeowners who represented 169 properties around the lake last summer. The petition read, “If two-thirds of White Lake property owners agree, the USDA will coordinate a herding and capture project to remove the geese from our lake in the early summer of 2023… We expect to repeat the effort for the following two to three seasons to maintain a reduced population. We are reaching out specifically to gain the support we need for this important project.” 

The petition additionally stated, “As a lakefront property owner/representative on White Lake in New York, I approve the proposed capture and euthanization of resident Canada geese on the lake.” 

Understanding the board’s displeasure with the slaughter, Klebanow ended by saying, “We want to collaborate on a long-term plan to minimize the need for future roundups… we have and always have been open to collaboration with the town to develop a plan.” 

Association board member Mary-Ellen Seitelman said that the community will benefit from the goose management program, as homeowners already saw an improvement in the properties and shorelines. 

Seitelman said that water data continues to be collected biweekly and had displayed an improvement after the last sample. The collected data showed that the goose excrement did have an impact on the oxygen, calcium, and pH levels of the lake. Additionally, utilizing a secchi disk, which is a water transparency gauge, the clarity levels in the lake have vastly improved. The lake is approximately 280 acres with a shoreline length of 4.3 miles

“We have proof that the lake is getting better. Getting the signatures from all the properties… it [was] a lot of work but it’s worth it,” Seitelman said. 

The homeowners of the lake, along with the Lake Association, unanimously agreed that the goose roundup was a win-win for the community and the local food bank.