By Shonna Korsmoe
Murphy News Service
The Brooklyn Park City Council took action this week to address the issue of troublesome wildlife on public lands.
Director of Recreation and Parks Jon Oyanagi presented a draft of a wildlife management policy to the Council for discussion, highlighting the reasons why an overarching wildlife policy would be beneficial to Brooklyn Park residents.
Oyanagi said several Brooklyn Park residents have lodged complaints with the city due to the large populations of coyotes and wild turkeys. Oyanagi informed the Council Monday evening that at one town home development, as many as 40 turkeys can be seen every day.
The wildlife management policy will create standards of practice and guidelines for city staff members in handling wildlife problems and responding to resident complaints.
“[I]t’s formalizing some of the practices that are in place now where staff has the discretion to implement the least invasive method of control – on up to removal of the animal,” Oyanagi said.
The Council adopted a plan for deer management in 2011, but there has not been a policy regarding what steps should be taken with wildlife such as coyotes and turkeys.
Oyanagi described possible control measures and emphasized that they would start out as selective and least-invasive as possible, so as not to disturb residents, park guests and their pets.
Councilman Mike Trepanier asked Oyanagi about how situations on private property would be handled as the policy is only for problematic wildlife on public lands, such as parks and roads. Oyanagi responded that it is often a gray area, but it would be handled much like the deer problem was a few years ago, when wildlife animals were inhabiting public land and then moving on to create problems on private property.
Oyanagi said Tim Marion, a Department of Natural Resources wildlife specialist, presented to the Recreation and Parks Advisory Commission on how to manage coyote and turkeys. Marion said feeding animals, specifically birds, is often the biggest factor attracting unwanted wildlife to developed areas. Councilman Trepanier brought up the notion of creating a policy against feeding wildlife, including turkeys.
During the discussion, Mayor Jeffrey Lunde said he felt the policy was “a good step.”
“Over time as we learn things we may modify it,” said Mayor Lunde.
Councilman Peter Crema said he’d support the resolution, but wondered whether it was necessary to have an “overreaching policy.”
Councilman Rich Gates, referring to the emerald ash bore and the deer management plan, said he felt that it “just makes sense to have something on hand” in case similar situations arose.
Councilman Trepanier moved to adopt the resolution and the council voted unanimously to adopt it.