By Greg Ellison

(Sept. 23, 2021) Although a comparison of geese control methods was requested, the Ocean Pines Board last Wednesday considered a proposal to test a patented form of turf grass to deter wildlife around ponds by the North and South Gates.

Director Tom Janasek, who serves as liaison for the Environmental & Natural Assets Committee, said various means of controlling geese populations have been investigated since euthanizing fowl was pursued in 2018.

After looking at numerous approaches, Janasek said Environmental Committee member Sharon Santacroce suggested researching FlightTurf.

“Basically … it’s patented grass that geese don’t like the flavor of,” he said.

FlightTurf was invented by Christina Kobland nearly a decade ago and has proven effective at discouraging fowl from congregating near airport runway fields.

FlightTurf is used at numerous airports across the country, including Baltimore-Washington International and San Francisco International.

“It’s turf grass that was developed for airports, specifically to prevent geese flying into planes,” he said. “It’s not inexpensive.”

FlightTurf runs about $2,600 per acre without installation costs.

Janasek said further details would be needed to estimate costs for Public Works to install the turf grass.

“The committee is asking for permission to do a test area at the North Gate pond [to] see how it works over a year,” he said.

Janasek said low maintenance is another perk to planting FlightTurf.

“Instead of being cut every two weeks … it’s cut twice or three times a year,” he said. “It doesn’t take as much water to keep it live and growing.”

Janasek said the slow-growing grass would also deter deer that help spread tics from feeding in the vicinity.

“Obviously, it’s an expense but if it works there it could be planted around the Veterans Memorial in order to keep the geese from congregating,” he said.

Janasek asked board members to review the proposal and return to the topic at their October meeting.

“When we had the issue with the geese a few years ago,  there was a lot of dissension in Ocean Pines and we don’t need to create any more of that,” he said. “It’s just another option for geese control.”

Association President Larry Perrone said he recently saw decoy foxes used to deter fowl at an area golf course.

“In the whole round, I saw one goose around the water,” he said. “I’m not sure if that’s a feasible option.”

Janasek said decoy predators will lose effectiveness if they are not rotated regularly.

“We’ve looked at every single thing you can imagine for geese deterrent,” he said.

Director Colette Horn asked for a list of less expensive options.

“In light of all the work … done looking at other alternatives the committee seems to be ruling out … it would be instructive for the board to be educated to what those other options are,” she said.

Janasek said the data is readily available and would be provided for the next board meeting in October.

“We have all that in files from the last few years after the last issue happened,” he said.