Hurricane Isabel last September caused a lot of damage to the new walking trail alongside Rte 53 to Monticello. Most of the damage was caused by trees falling across the planked portions, while some level parts of the path, paved with crushed stone, were washed out.

We asked Parkway Manager Matt Sensabaugh how the repairs are going. His answer began with an apology and explanation for the delay -- repairs did not start until December, when insurance issues were finally settled.

The crushed stone sections were readily replaced. Repairs to the elevated sections are now well under way. Sensabaugh tells us that Monticello is pleased that the contractor for the repairs is Abrahamse and Co., as they were the original builder of these sections. The trail is scheduled to reopen in mid-May.

On another front

Although they're among the wild fauna most people regard fondly, Canada geese can be a substantial nuisance. In fact, if you go and Google "nuisance Canada geese," you'll be offered an amazing array of information and invective. Poop, attacks on pets and people, and the propensity to dine on attractive and useful elements of the landscape are the major complaints.

The geese we see along the trail and around the pond, according to Manager Sensabaugh, are migratory, not native. This is an important point in the nuisance-evaluation scheme of things. He thinks there have been at most 30 to 40 of them. These birds arrived last fall, and when the pond froze over, they move on further south. They returned recently, but will probably continue north with the spring. So they are not been the major nuisance they might have been. And so far, no further action against them by the Monticello folks is contemplated.

The problem is, the grazing is good here and there are no predators. If they decide to settle in, the numbers will rapidly increase. We're told that the previous manager, Will Meyer, fought to keep the geese from nesting if any were around in the spring. He would search out the nests, destroying them and disposing of the eggs.

Some useful advice

In a paper published on line by Ohio State, Amanda D. Rodewald, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Extension Wildlife Specialist tells us how to deal with Goose Attacks:

"If you encounter an aggressive goose, be sure to maintain direct eye contact with the animal and face your body directly towards the attacking goose. Do not turn your back or shoulders away from the goose, and do not squint, close, or cover your eyes. If the goose makes an aggressive move towards you, you should slowly back away while maintaining a neutral demeanor (i.e., do not shout or kick)."
(Dave Sagarin, March 24, 2004)

See also, "Canada Geese at Tandem Friends School"