A Freedom of Information request made by the Free Press has revealed a Buckinghamshire councils failed attempts to reduce the amount of goose faeces in a park.
Chesham Town Council has revealed that several attempts to reduce the amount of goose droppings in Lowndes Park have been unsuccessful, according to information released under the Freedom of Information Act.
The council said it has been working with volunteers to transplant reeds into the park's pond and has replaced signs advising visitors on appropriate food for waterfowl in an effort to manage the resident Canada goose population.
However, officials acknowledged that a number of measures tried more than three years ago failed to solve the problem.
These included creating a hedge to block sight lines between the pond and nearby lawns, transplanting reeds around the pond margins, and using scare tactics to deter the birds.
The council said the geese had "quickly learnt to ignore" attempts to scare them away.
In its response, the authority explained that Canada geese naturally prefer areas with low vegetation next to open water because they allow the birds clear views of potential predators.
The council also outlined why several solutions cannot be used.
While a government general licence, known as GL42, can allow the culling of Canada geese or the destruction of eggs in certain circumstances, the council said this would require proof of "serious damage" to inland waters.
Officials said goose droppings on park paths would be classed only as a nuisance and would therefore be unlikely to meet the legal threshold required for action under the licence.
The council also said evidence from bird-ringing programmes shows there is significant movement of geese between local sites, meaning any birds removed from Lowndes Park would likely be replaced by others from elsewhere.
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Similarly, it said oiling or pricking eggs would have little impact because relatively few geese breed in the park and those that do often move on to other locations.
The authority added that relocating wild Canada geese is not considered a viable option because of the risk of spreading bird flu and the likelihood that new birds would quickly move into the area.
The FOI response also revealed that the council has previously rehomed some domestic geese and ducks that had been abandoned at the pond. However, guidance received in 2024 from Defra and the RSPCA stated that abandoned domestic birds can only be rehomed if they are identified and removed immediately.
If they remain for a period of time, they are legally regarded as wild birds and cannot be moved without a licence.
Another option considered was allowing grass on the lower lawns to grow to around six inches, making it less attractive to geese.
The council said this would be incompatible with the area's use as a recreational space for residents and visitors.
Looking ahead, Chesham Town Council said it is considering creating larger areas of vegetation around the edges of the pond.
These areas would be protected with netting to help plants establish successfully and could further reduce the suitability of the site for geese.
The response also said that over the past 3 years they have recorded no complaints about the presence of goose excrement in the park.
It adds that no additional costs were incurred as the Parks team carry out the clean-up, with the process taking two operatives two hours.
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