The Illinois Native Plant Society applauds the idea of using native plants around retention ponds and other water features to discourage geese from causing problems, as is being considered by DuPage County leaders (Metro, Jan. 23). For those who wonder if it works, my experience is that it does. My subdivision contains wetland and a pond, surrounded by native marsh, fen, prairie and wet meadow vegetation. We enjoy having geese visit the pond in spring and fall, but they do not land on our lawns, and they leave in winter when the pond freezes over.
As to the question of whether or not it is attractive to have wildflowers, frogs, butterflies, birds, prairie grasses and all the rest, I can only say that nearly every visitor stops and says, “Wow!”
