GooseWatch 2011 Nears End

As the Canada Geese like these in Prospect Park start to test their flight feathers, as I understand, this will be the last week of round-ups in NYC parks. I was told there are still 3 parks on the list. We have a few parks where we suspect these round-ups may occur, and we are going to be there in case this is the case, but there is no guarantee our efforts will lead to documenting or preventing a round-up. We also know now that USDA agents are accompanied by Parks Department PEP officers, so that anyone "interfering" with a round-up can be quickly arrested. We will do what we can to protect NYC geese, but it seems our window of opportunity is nearly closed.

This was always the goal of GooseWatch: to document, and if possible, prevent a round-up, which are done in secret.

A simple goal that required a lot of coordination:

Step 1 - Put together GooseWatch team
Step 2 - Organize a Schedule
Step 3 - Create a Mass Alert System (like Phonevite.com)
Step 4 - Pack supplies: video / digital camera, cell phone, noise makers
Step 5 - Wait for USDA

...but it was worth it. I couldn't sleep knowing that the Prospect Park geese might be rounded up in the early hours of one hot summer morning, and no one would be there to see it happen. I am so grateful that the community rallied around the idea of a stake-out, and that we were able to protect the Prospect Park geese.

I am also proud that we have created a model which might be implemented in other areas where geese are under threat.

Our work is not nearly done, but so far I am incredibly impressed with and proud of the success of GooseWatch, both in terms of protecting the Prospect Park geese, 35 of whom remain at peace, and attracting public and media attention to the brutally inhumane round-ups, which are potentially extremely dangerous to public safety, and in violation of the democratic process, unilaterally denying rights of animals to live, and people like myself to appriciate such life.

Once the round-ups are behind us in NYC, you'll still find me in Prospect Park, and when possible I will continue to visit parks around the city where we have found geese (and other animals) living in peace, but my focus will shift towards the legal and political battle ahead of us to fight and stop the attack on Canada geese, and all wildlife.