Mark Vrtiska, Professor of Practice
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Coordinator, Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership

In the mid- to late 1990s, the mid-continent population of light geese (lesser snow and Ross’s geese) presented managers with a unique challenge in wildlife management, due to their overabundance and effects on northern habitats. The issue was highlighted at national levels and entailed an unprecedented marketing campaign to disseminate information to the hunting and non-hunting public about the problem and potential solutions. The main solution implemented was the Light Goose Conservation Order (LGCO) that allowed the use of special measures previously deemed illegal, with the goal of reducing the population by half. The LGCO has persisted over the past 25 years, despite evidence that it has not had the intended effect on the population. Since about 2015, the mid-continent light geese population has been declining and is currently near levels where management actions may be required. Possible changes to either the LGCO or regular hunting seasons may require another effort to inform interested constituencies about the current status of the mid-continent population of light geese.