Discouraging Canada Geese

Studies are indicating that increased populations of Geese on lakes have a measurable impact on the water quality.

The trick is to make your property less attractive to Canada geese by obstructing the shoreline at their height and removing the short grass they feed upon.

To accomplish this, stop mowing the grass along your shoreline. In no time, you’ll have a vegetative buffer (a strip of vegetation along your shoreline) that Canada geese will no longer like to eat, and you will have removed their lake access.

To speed up the process, you can plant some native trees, tall coarse grasses, shrubs and wildflowers. Your buffer should be tall enough so that geese can’t see over the plants and ideally be at least three metres wide. However, if your property doesn’t allow for a buffer of this width, make it as wide as you can.

Geese are afraid to expose their young to predators hiding in the buffer. Trees and shrubs along your shoreline can also help to frame your view of the lake while preventing your shoreline from eroding away.

The Love your lake program has some great info on natural shorelines and all properties on Morrison Lake were surveyed for free during the summer of 2022. 

Check out the Love your Lake program details here .