Marble Falls wants feedback on proposed wildlife feeding ban
Ducks and geese swarmed this reporter on a recent visit to Johnson Park in Marble Falls. The city is proposing a wildlife feeding ban that would make it a fineable offense to feed the gregarious waterfowl. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The city of Marble Falls is asking for input on a proposed wildlife feeding ban that ruffled the feathers of many residents, who shared their feelings on the DailyTrib.com Facebook page.
The proposed ordinance, introduced during the Marble Falls City Council meeting on July 16, would make it illegal to feed undomesticated animals on public property, including the popular ducks and geese at Johnson Park.
Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman took note of the social media backlash and is asking concerned residents to email her or the City Council directly with feedback on the feeding ban.
“While I am suggesting (the ban) is a needed move … it’s not my park—it’s yours,” Dingman wrote in a social media post on Thursday, July 25. “I read all of your comments (on DailyTrib.com’s Facebook page), and I hope you choose to share them in an official capacity (perhaps, minus the ‘off with Lacey’s head’ sentiment).’”
The City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance at its Aug. 6 meeting. If passed, offenders could face a fine of up to $500.
To comment, email Dingman at LDingman@marblefallstx.gov or the City Council at CityCouncil@marblefallstx.gov. The council will make the final decision on the ordinance.
Comments from people responding to the original story on the DailyTrib.com Facebook page included:
“So you are going to fine a child $500 dollars for feeding the ducks?”
“It is family fun and educational for the kids. People like to go to the park to see and feed the ducks.”
“We love the ducks, leave them alone and spend your time on something worthwhile for the city.”
“This is just another revenue scheme to put money into the city coffers. It won’t stop the wildlife from flocking into the parks, and it won’t stop people from feeding them.”
Dingman addressed the issue in an emailed response to questions from DailyTrib.com.
“While the spirit of the ordinance is not to target a family offering a few pieces of bread to a duck, it would allow us to educate those individuals and address the more serious concerns we currently have with people providing 50-pound sacks of grain in the park for wildlife and unwilling to discontinue that practice, even after multiple requests,” she wrote.
According to Dingman, the city has tried to manage the waterfowl population in its parks since at least 2020 but has had little success.
“(Feeding bans) seem to work well in state and national parks, and if passed, we hope the ordinance would encourage voluntary compliance from the majority of park visitors,” she continued. “We have tried over the past few years to change our reality through education but have been unsuccessful in changing behaviors. We are certainly open to having a dialogue for other suggestions.”
Dingman cited the mass gathering of ducks and geese in a small public space as one of the main concerns.
Marble Falls City Councilor Richard Westerman stated a specific issue he had with the birds during the council’s July 16 meeting.
“The real problem is the defecation,” he said. “It’s tremendous. There’s more defecation than there is grass down there (Johnson Park).
3 thoughts on “Marble Falls wants feedback on proposed wildlife feeding ban”
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Feeding the ducks is bad for them and for us. The ducks are wild creatures, designed to survive in the wild by habits learned from imitating their moms. If the habits they learn are waddling around the park eating the equivalent of Big Macs, they won’t survive in the wild. Their poop is not only nasty on your shoes. An overload in the park increases bacteria levels in the park, creek, and lake. Let’s educate visitors with signage about our ducks, but if that is not sufficient, make a law forbidding feeding.
I think the public should be educated on what bread, etc. does to the water fowl. Maybe several articles in this publications and others would help.
Those 50 pound sack people do need to be cited and fined. They’re stupidly selfish, spoil it for kids with a bit of bread, and this is why we can’t have nice things. Could the city get them on littering charges, instead?