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Category: Readers' Opinions

■ 10 December 2008 | 5:00 AM

Nature's polluters

Re 'Feeding ducks in city now costs $25,' Hampton Roads, Dec. 3: I applaud the Virginia Beach City Council for making it illegal to feed waterfowl in city parks, but if the goal is to save the Bay and clean up the Lynnhaven, it needs to pertain to all areas within the city, both public and private.

I live on a private lake in the Great Neck area. Our lake drains into the Lynnhaven River, as do the majority of private lakes in the city. I have neighbors who feed the waterfowl every day, 365 days a year.

This feeding has caused the goose and duck population to explode, because they become nonmigratory.

Each goose drops at least one pound of bacteria-laden fecal matter every day directly into the water, and because they never migrate, our lake can never undergo the natural process of cleaning itself in their absence. Our lake is becoming a giant sewer that drains into the Lynnhaven. Ban the feeding citywide.

Tony Tanner

Virginia Beach

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The problem . . .

Submitted by charlesm on Thu, 12/11/2008 at 9:03 pm.

The birds will come looking for food wherever they can look for and find it, whether it is put there by humans or nature. The only way to stop this is to eliminate the birds. Then as the food that the birds would eat decomposes and is washed away by the rain, that will cause another problem.

wrong answer

Submitted by Craig Paskewic on Wed, 12/10/2008 at 9:08 pm.

No government should be able to tell a private landowner that he/she cannot feed wildlife on their property. Your suggesting additional government intrusion into our lives.

I have a birdfeeder in my front yeard-is this next on your agenda?