No more feeding ducks if Marble Falls passes ordinance
Residents will have to stop feeding ducks at Johnson Park if a proposed ordinance to ban wild animal feeding is approved by the Marble Falls City Council on Aug. 6. Staff photo by Nathan Bush
A proposed ordinance for the city of Marble Falls would levy fines of up to $500 for people feeding wild animals on public property, including the ducks and geese living at Backbone Creek in Johnson Park.
The ordinance was introduced during the City Council’s meeting on July 16 and is scheduled for a vote on Aug. 6. That meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 800 Third St.
“We feel like this is a necessary action,” Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman said at the Tuesday meeting.
The ordinance would ban the feeding of all undomesticated animals in city parks and on public streets and city-owned sidewalks.
“I certainly can remember going to duck ponds and feeding ducks, and it is certainly something that is very fun for kids, so I’m not trying to be the Grinch that stole that. But for our waterfowl, specifically at Johnson Park, it’s not good for (the waterfowl), and it’s not good for the public use of that space,” Dingman said.
People feeding the large populations of ducks and geese at city parks has created problems, Dingman continued.
“(Feeding) causes (waterfowl) to populate spaces in really high numbers,” she said. “They don’t spread out and try to naturally forage.”
Park cleanliness is another concern, Councilor Richard Westerman added.
“The real problem is the defecation,” he said. “It’s tremendous. There’s more defecation than there is grass down there (Johnson Park).”
Dingman agreed, calling the ordinance a “critical component” of the Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Department’s overall goal of better managing wildlife in the city.
“Two times a year, we do a removal of excess populations of waterfowl in our parks system,” she said. “However, we are seeing that the migratory birds return back to (Johnson Park) because there is supplemental feeding occurring. If we threw a bunch of Snickers bars out, all the kids would be running to the park, too.”
If approved, the Marble Falls Police Department and the city’s code enforcement officers would make sure the new rules are followed.
“If it is passed, we will certainly go on a campaign to inform the public,” Dingman said. “We’re not trying to immediately go out and ticket people.”
She hopes the ordinance will teach residents the health and safety impacts of feeding wild animals.
“Our goal is to educate,” Dingman said. “This is not an attempt to write some $500 tickets.”
5 thoughts on “No more feeding ducks if Marble Falls passes ordinance”
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So how do they propose to stop people from feeding the wildlife on private property that eat and then wander onto public property? This is nothing more than the city wanting more revenue and what better way to get it than writing tickets to unsuspecting travelers or anyone who may accidentally drop a snickers bar on the ground. There is more defecation coming out of certain council members mouths then there is from a minimal of wildlife thats for sure.
I’ve offered to take some of the ducks to my house but I never heard from the city as I would need their help transporting. Much better than killing the poor domesticated birds. Sad kids can’t enjoy the feeding. Will they be fined?
I am totally against this. My grandkids and great grandkids have always enjoyed seeing and feeding the ducks. We’ve never seen a problem with duck poop…. and if this is enacted a fine of $500 is ridiculous.
$500 fine is ridiculously excessive.
“Removal of birds” is highly suspect.
There must be better methods.
The comment from Counselor Westerman toward more bird poop than grass is false and highly misleading to readers….clearly he does not attend the park on a daily basis.