Dismayed

Dear editor:
I read with dismay the article in the Daily Bulletin on Jan. 13 in regards to killing the Canada geese that live along the waterfront and by the water tower in Fort Frances.
I can’t believe this even would be considered!
As many people know, I run, walk, or cycle along the waterfront pathway, including at the Seven Oaks and Point area, almost every day in the summer.
I enjoy seeing the geese and especially the goslings. It is fun to watch them grow over the summer, and very exciting when the migrating flocks join them in the fall.
The Canada goose is a Canadian symbol and to me is a powerful reminder of how nature can succeed when humans try to destroy it (think of how the Canada goose was once an endangered animal!)
As far as complaints about goose excrement along the pathway, I never was bothered about this and it seemed to me that the town was doing a good job keeping the pathway clean.
Other cities with numerous Canada geese (for example, London, Ont.) use a path sweeper to keep the paths in their parks clean. The expense of killing the geese or destroying their nests easily could be channelled into keeping the pathways clean instead.
Our geese have never behaved in a threatening manner towards me. When approached while running, they simply went into the river.
I hope whoever is complaining about the geese can be more inclusive and forgiving, and allow the nature that we love to have in Northwestern Ontario to thrive.
Yours sincerely,
Lorena Jenks
Fort Frances, Ont.