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Board approves conceptual riparian buffer funded by watershed group to reduce geese at Veterans Memorial Boulevard
Summary
The Parks Commission approved a watershed‑funded riparian‑buffer concept (reduced to a 6‑foot buffer after board feedback) designed to change shoreline habitat and reduce resident Canada goose attraction while preserving recreational access.
The Parks Commission approved a conceptual riparian buffer along Veterans Memorial Boulevard intended to alter habitat conditions and reduce resident geese at the boulevard ponds. The Farmington River Watershed Association proposed the project and is providing funding to implement the initial phase.
Staff framed the effort as a combination of public education — discouraging people from feeding waterfowl — and physical changes to the shoreline to remove clear sight lines that geese prefer. "If the public does not stop feeding the geese, they're gonna continue to come back no matter what we do," a staff member said, explaining that the buffer is one part of a broader geese management plan.
The original draft presented a much wider buffer; commissioners asked planners to reduce the footprint so the buffer would not overtake monument areas. The plan shown to the board now uses a 6‑foot vegetated buffer with options for additional plantings in later phases, curved pathways to maintain public access, and a small selection of native trees and grasses chosen to improve water quality and aesthetics.
The board voted to approve the conceptual design as presented (6‑foot buffer, experimental phased approach) and accepted the watershed association's funding to attempt implementation as early as May 2026 if plant availability allows. Staff said the approach will be evaluated and adjusted annually as part of the geese management policy.
