Geese Cause Filth, Demand High Maintenance Costs at Commercial Properties
Commercial Properties offer an ideal habitat for Canada Geese, as they are drawn to retention ponds, flat commercial rooftops, and other areas that offer a safe places for the geese to rest at night, free of harm of predators. They also prefer the manicured, and often times fertilized lawns that are typical of commercial properties for their food source. Because Geese choose foraging sites based on proximity to where they sleep, the adjacent locations of the resting areas (rooftops and ponds) and feeding areas (manicured lawns) at commercial properties encourage the geese to land and stay.
Every day each goose leaves abundant feathers and 2 to 4 pounds of excrement. The presence of geese is a sign to others that it is a sustainable site for them to land, and stay, meaning that the group of geese at any site tends to consistently increase. Along with that increase is the three-fold increase of excrement. While a few geese can be tolerable, 30 geese, multiplied by about 3 pounds of excrement per day (90 pounds of droppings every day!) is a problem for everyone.
The owners and managers commercial properties work to give those that use their space the peace of mind that comes from a safe, healthy, and enjoyable environment. A goose population undercuts all of these, and has a far-reaching impact on the great number of people that use these spaces every day. The property managers must curb the geese population to restore or maintain a respectable standard of the property. At Away With Geese, we have spoken to many that have tried a range of other methods first that have failed, costing them thousands of dollars a month, time spent on daily efforts, and a strain on their entire company’s budget.
The Geese Population is Growing, and so is the Damage and Disease
There are over 10 million geese currently residing in the United States. With this number increasing dramatically every year, their damage to commercial properties, and the people that use them is too pervasive and costly to ignore. Further compounding the population increase are the geese that are losing their migratory instincts, and staying year round.
Studies have confirmed the presence of human pathogens in goose feces, so presence of feces in water or on ground where humans may contact them is a legitimate health concern. The abundance of excrement in a watershed can devastate the health of a retention pond; the runoff from these areas brings a huge nitrogen load to the pond and causes algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and fish kills.
The property becomes unattractive and use of the property and its amenities decline, along with the ‘good neighbor’ reputation of the company.
Maintenance staff spends time and resources to clean up the excrement and manually deter the geese, at the expense of their traditional duties, resulting in a loss of staff productivity and efficacy.
On rooftops the feathers and excrement cause leaks and rooftop damage from clogged drains and ponding water. Their sharp hind nail makes punctures upon landing, ruining the integrity of the roofing membrane. Each leak repair averages a cost of $1,500, and means interior damage, production downtime, damaged products, and lost business.
Avian Flu, which is spread by migrating waterfowl, hit the Poultry Industry this Spring: 50 million turkeys and chickens were killed and there was a $600 million impact, in what the USDA called “the largest animal health event in our history.”
They are aggressive towards people, especially while nesting and rearing their goslings. At commercial properties, which are used by people and geese simultaneously, conflict can result. Hundreds of geese attacks occur every year, with geese chasing and biting, resulting in injuries ranging from small scratches to broken bones suffered during falls. The owners of the property can be held liable for these injuries.
Because geese are federally protected, property owners and managers have a responsibility to manage the geese population while staying within the confines of these laws and regulations.
Away With Geese is Guaranteed to Deter Geese from Commercial Properties.
Away With Geese is a guaranteed solution to prevent and deter geese from Commercial Properties. Our units are solar powered LED amber lights that flash every two seconds in 360 degrees every night, from dusk to dawn in a 75 yard radius. They are mounted on ¼ inch thick black ABS plastic that is incredibly durable; the units are designed to withstand all seasons and any weather. The lights disturb the geese at night, causing them to be restless and insecure in that place, leading them to move to another location entirely, as they prefer to forage and sleep in the same area.
Our units are specially designed for the various landscapes typical of Commercial Properties. They are also designed to keep them safe from vandalism and theft in these public areas. These units are for the geese problems on land (Industrial Unit); in ponds and waterways (Water Unit); and for flat commercial roof tops (Roof Unit). Like all of our units, these come with a two-year parts warranty and satisfaction guarantee. They require no maintenance, and only have to be turned on once. Request a free Placement Study and we will use Google Earth to take a snapshot of your problem area, and recommend the type of and number of units, and their most effective placement, via email.
Industrial Unit – This unit is specifically designed for commercial land areas, in which theft is a possibility. Oftentimes public parks, golf courses, and other public places have with troublemakers that may pass through and want to steal an unsecured unit, which isn’t possible with this unit. It features a metal auger that securely twists into the ground to avert theft, and requires tools and time to uninstall.
Industrial Cage – Our units are incredibly durable, but are not meant to withstand abuse from people. If this is a concern, the Cage is the answer. This accessory completely protects the Industrial Unit with 6 pounds of heavy-duty steel, in places where both vandalism and theft are issues. The cage surrounds and secures to the Industrial Unit, so that the unit is both safe from theft and is protected from harm by the Cage simultaneously.
Water Unit – Retention ponds at commercial properties are some of the most often used locations for geese to reside. The water allows them to feel safe from predators at night and the adjacent manicured lawns are perfect for foraging during the day. The Water Unit disturbs their sleep and disrupts the sleep-eat-ruin-the-grass cycle.
Roof Unit – Flat commercial rooftops offer security at night from predators and adjacent grass for daytime foraging. With each goose leaving abundant feathers and 2-4 pounds of excrement per day, the damage to the rooftops is swift and costly. Feathers clog drains and cause expensive leaks and damage to the integrity of roofing membrane. Excrement clogs downspouts and enters the HVAC system, threatening the health of everyone inside. The Roof Unit takes away their nighttime security and drives them to another location entirely.
