Dear Ms. Karen Laing,

I've lived in Alaska all my life, and the geese have never been a huge problem before. Now it's suddenly becoming a bigger problem. It's not because of them, however. They have been living in Alaska longer than any of us. It's their home, and they deserve the right to fly, eat, play and sleep here as long as they want. We always seem to think that just because they can't talk, that they don't care. They can still feel pain, and hunger, and be scared or happy.

Instead of killing them we should either ignore them or ship them off to another rural area in Alaska. Also, what would the young goslings do if their mothers got shot. They would eventually starve to death, or freeze when winter came, and they didn't know how to fly. Maybe the mothers wouldn't feel a lot of pain when they where killed but the gosling would be scared, cold and hungry. Please don't kill the geese!

Sincerely,

Dear Ms. Laing,

I as a young adult is very happy to hear that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife wants the opinions of young children like myself. My opinion is no we shouldn't kill the geese because they have not done anything to harm us, so why should we harm them? I think us Alaskans are too concerned about our selves anyway, and its like when ever something like the wildlife becomes a problem in Anchorage we get it rid of it don't matter what the consequence is. I mean you don't see anybody "killing" us whenever we run a red light, and we do that, and it is becoming a problem. My friend got in a crash because of a driver running a red light, and nobody is getting rid of him, so there for i don't think the geese are a problem.

Sincerely,

Dear Ms. Laing,

It doesn't matter that there's goose poop all around Anchorage. I think that the people that are complaining should help clean up the goose poop or shut up. It's not the geese's fault that they have to go.

Sincerely,

Dear MS. Laing,

Hi!, I am A.E. I am a seventh grader at Wendler Junior High, in Mrs. Gough's Science class. We are studying the local wetlands and were asked to think of a solution to the goose problem in Anchorage. After reading about this problem I realized that you just can't go around shooting all of the geese because then it would cause another problem. So I tried to come up with a different solution, so after doing some research, I found out that geese like to eat grasses and roots. So what I have come up with is this; You should find an area big enough outside Achorage that is unpopulated where you could plant grasses and roots to draw the geese away from town, since this is what the geese like to eat.

This would let the geese still have a natural habitat, and protect people in planes from the geese. The place picked would need to be remote where there are natural predators, such as wolves, or foxes, to naturally control the numbers of geese. I think this would be a good solution for us and the geese.

I would like to thank you for your time.

Sincerely Yours,

Dear Ms. Laing,

The goose problem is not really about the geese themselves. It is more about their droppings.

To solve the problem I suggest that you talk the sanitation group into going out in the morning and cleaning up the goose droppings.

Sincerely,

Dear Ms. Laing,

I don't think the geese should be killed. I think the airport should continue to spray the runways with the goose repellent. If this doesn't work maybe they should try double or triple coating it. This may require a little work, but hey, at least it's safe. Even if you kill the population down to 500, what's to keep the remaining of the geese from coming back to the runway? Thanks for your time!

Sincerely,

Dear Ms. Laing,

If I remember correctly only a few years ago you told us not to harm the geese and now you want to know how we think you should get rid of them. I think that that is unfair and inhumane. You should decide if you want to keep them or destroy them because in the end that"s what it will be all about no biting around the bush. I know personally I like to chase them off our track and soccer field. The only thing about them that gets on every ones nerves is there waste it is very unpleasant to step in and disgusted by all I know.

I do have a solution to your problem. I think that you should let nature take it's course or you should make something like a reservation for the geese. Have a big plot of land with lots of big grassy fields and lots of lakes. Have this hole area fenced. After you got the area all made up then you take the mothers and there eggs plus the rest of the flock and put them in the reservation. Then hopefully the babies will go back their so they will no longer be a problem. Also what you could do so we could still see them and nothing would change, I believe there should be a visiting time so to speak. You could shall food and things for the birds, you could have picnic tables and rent them out for parties and things. You could almost make it like a park. Of course you will want other animals there that way you will have a proper ecosystem. Perhaps you could not only make if for the geese but also for people. Those with apartments that want a garden could rent out a spot to have one. You could make it an enjoyable place for people to go so we could be with the geese and see what the government is doing about our problem. For once we could be a part of what you are doing to help our community. I believe that you try to get the community into what you are doing we would care more about the problems and we would notice that it does not only effect us now but also our children because if we don't do something now it wont just go away. You see if we are involved we care more about what happens. If you want a problem to go away and stay away then every one must help. If you do not choose my idea as a solution I understand because it would probably tack too much time and too much money but I have a solution for both. Number one too much time well I guess there is truly no solution, but, if done it would be a grate success. Number two too much money well if you sold things and got volunteer workers, also if you made gardens areas for people to bye. Perhaps you could even have a garden you self and have a day where everyone could come and bye the fruits and vegetables it could almost be like the fare yet in a very different sense. You could call the park Wildlife Alaska and that would be the hole thing perhaps a big barn too where just for the summer fare there could be a places for the animals from Alaska. Did you notice I said only for the summer fare because I was thing you would have soon hills no doubt. You would pay no charge but you would rent out skates sleds and sell hot cocoa and goodies. I now what your thinking this sounds more like a park for the public but i only added all this because I believe that the public should be involved with the governments decision after all we are the ones who live in your decisions not you. Plus you need money for this wright...........so I figure this is the best way to do both. I guess that's all I have to say. I hope that you find a humane way to fix your problem. I also hope that someday we can live with out having to worry about the extinction of another animal. Have a good day and a good time finding your answer.

Sincerely,