In lieu of speaking to the press, Tupper Thomas, Prospect Park Administrator/Prospect Park Alliance President, sent a letter to the Friends of Prospect Park, in response to the recent slaughter of Canadian Geese in the park by representatives of the US Department of Agriculture. In the letter she announces that the park will be be forming a wildlife management taskforce comprised of experts in the field. “This will strengthen the Alliance and Parks Department’s commitment to safeguarding both nature and people…”
Dear Friends of Prospect Park:
The recent culling of Canada Geese in Prospect Park is disturbing to many people, including staff at the Park. That people care so passionately about the Park and its natural environment and speak out in its defense is truly wonderful and very welcomed.
The Canada Geese were removed from the Park late last week and euthanized as part of a joint US Department of Agriculture, Port Authority and City of New York program to reduce the geese population near the flight paths of area airports. Prospect Park is one of a number of parks and locations chosen by the City of New York to be included in this program.
Prospect Park is a public, New York City park and is administered in accordance with City, State and Federal regulations and policies. However many Park users have contacted us in recent days about what can be done in the future to avoid this situation.
The staff at Prospect Park, both the Alliance and the Parks Department, recognize that we are the stewards of this amazing greenspace and public resource. Over the years we have undertaken extensive restoration of the Park’s natural areas and watercourse to provide wildlife with hundreds of acres of healthy habitat. We have a wonderful natural resources crew who work year round to keep the habitat healthy and a staff of naturalists at our Audubon Center who educate thousands of young people annually about the importance of wildlife.
To provide the best ongoing ecological care of our habitat, the Park will be forming a wildlife management taskforce comprised of experts in the field. This will strengthen the Alliance and Parks Department’s commitment to safeguarding both nature and people.
Prospect Park is one of many city, state and federally managed parks in the metropolitan area and holistic stewardship of the regional ecology is important. Prospect Park is our park – thankfully many of you consider it your park — and with your help, we can continue to work together to ensure Prospect Park remains healthy and beautiful.
Sincerely yours,
Tupper Thomas
Prospect Park Administrator/Prospect Park Alliance President
Tupper, I doubt you’ll read this, but if you do: Thank you for making a statement. The silence of those involved with the killing of the geese is deafening. We would appreciate more statements and a community meeting regarding the matter. There seems to be a breakdown in communication, and I think community members would like and deserve more explanation than they’ve been given. I also think many community members have excellent ideas on how to prevent mass killings of geese in the future.
PS: Please stop using the word “euthanasia” in reference to what happened to the Prospect Park geese. Euthanasia is the peaceful, painless death of a person or animal who has an incurable painful disease.
But what does she say about the two-legged slobs that trash the park every weekend? Nothing, like the nothing that was said in this slick public relations handout about a Federal program she or the Parks Dept. had no input into what so ever? Can’t wait to hear from Ms. Thomas Monday morning July 19, after the Nethermead was trashed by the MIH Ventures party.
This is the dictionary definition of feckless. Isn’t she leaving? Can’t she hurry up?