Grassland Management for Geese: Sustainable Use for Conservation and Agriculture

• Main Authors: Percival, S M, Lilley, R
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: UKnowledge 2024
• Subjects: Barnacle goose; white-fronted goose; pasture management; sustainability; feeding preference; disturbance; Agricultural Science; Agronomy and Crop Sciences; Plant Biology; Plant Pathology; Plant Sciences; Soil Science; Weed Science; Branta leucopsis
• Online Access: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session15/1; https://uknowledge.uky.edu/context/igc/article/7113/viewcontent/IGC97_ID317_S15.pdf

Increasing numbers of overwintering wild geese have caused considerable problems to agriculture but are often also of conservation concern as their populations are relatively small. Islay, Scotland, is one site where this problem is particularly acute. We studied the two goose species which use this site, the barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis, and the white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons flavirostris, and found that they preferred younger pastures located closer to their roost sites. These preferred areas could be important in developing a sustainable strategy for future goose management. Further non-sustainable population increases might be avoided by increasing disturbance in these areas.