Katie May
Northern News Services
Published Monday, Friday, June 27, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The city will start scaring away birds from the dump later this summer as a step toward its proposed landfill site expansion.

Council decided at its June 24 meeting to implement "scare tactics," including pyrotechnics, propane cannons and hunter scarecrows to get rid of seagulls, ravens and other birds that flock to the dump to find food.

The measures are expected to be in place before summer ends.

The scare tactics are just one part of an integrated wildlife management plan put together for the city by Beacon Environmental assessment company.

The plan also recommends culling - killing birds to discourage other birds from going near the landfill - but most councillors rejected that option.

The city has to reduce the number of birds around the dump to have its landfill expansion application approved by Transport Canada.

The expansion would add on to the north side of the landfill, bringing it within three kilometres of the Yellowknife airport.

Transport Canada's rules state that no land that attracts birds can be within eight kilometres of an airport because the birds could get in the way of planes and potentially cause an accident.

If that happens, the city could be held liable.

The city has budgeted $25,000 to buy scare tactic equipment and provide training for landfill staff, who will review the effectiveness of the new techniques based on how many birds are still around the dump.

At the end of the scare tactics trial, council will decide if culling is necessary in the future.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said birds at the landfill haven't caused any serious problems so far and that the city is looking into several ways to reduce the number of birds, such as different composting techniques and its three-cell salvaging program.

"Already there's less and less birds," he said.

"This is just part of the application process to be approved for the expansion."

Coun. Paul Falvo, who opposed the scare tactics, said the city should put more focus on properly managing waste at the dump rather than getting rid of birds, particularly since the airport already has the authority to kill birds that endanger aircrafts.

"So far we have barely scratched the surface in terms of reducing food waste and encouraging composting in the city," Falvo said

But Coun. Kevin Kennedy said council should look at culling more seriously because it may work faster as a bird deterrent and cost less in the long run.

"While I'm the last person, speaking as a bird watcher and a vegetarian, to want to cull birds,"

"if we want to give taxpayers good value for their money, then we really have no alternative but to consider these very unhealthful measures which certainly I would prefer not to ever have to use," he said.

City officials have applied for a permit to use pyrotechnics at the dump.