Madison, Wis.--Increased
development of lakeshore properties in Wisconsin has had a negative
impact on natural scenic beauty, water quality, fish and wildlife
habitat. A new video featuring a live-action, animated talking goose
has been released on YouTube by the University of
Wisconsin-Extension as part of a new campaign aimed at encouraging
shoreline property owners to adopt more natural shorelines and
restore lakeshore habitat.
Recent research in Burnett County by UW-Extension has been exploring
new ways to encourage lakeshore properties to maintain more natural
shorelines. One insight to emerge from this research was that while
property owners may be okay with watching geese flying overhead or
swimming in the water, they do not like the birds congregating on
their lawns, leaving unsightly and unsanitary fecal matter behind.
The video communicates that lawn-loving geese will not linger if
they fear that natural shoreline vegetation may harbor predators who
will eat them, their goslings or their eggs. Restoring natural
shoreline vegetation is an important part of the overall maintenance
of lake water quality and wildlife habitat in Wisconsin, and the
video is intended to reach lakeshore homeowners who may not be
focused on these issues.
Sebastian, the talking goose, discusses the importance of preserving
and restoring natural shorelines in Wisconsin and conveys the
message that by restoring lakefront shorelines, geese will be less
of a problem for lakeshore property owners. The video is the first
in a series that will expand UW-Extension's established online
presence with a viral marketing format.
The video can be accessed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhKIGxXgrLg
Sebastian, the talking goose, was developed as part of a
collaborative project headed by Bret Shaw, environmental
communication specialist for UW-Extension and assistant professor of
life sciences communication at UW-Madison, graduate students Beth
Ryan and Travis Balinas from the Department of Life Sciences
Communication at UW-Madison, and John Haack, St. Croix Basin natural
resources educator for UW-Extension
