Due to urban sprawl, residential areas are increasingly surrounding landfill sites. Thus, good neighbourly relations become an important challenge. Odours, noise, nuisance birds are all issues facing managers of landfill. Wildlife management on a landfill also aims to free the environment of visual obstacles allowing operators to work safely.
The particular challenge of this site is that it is situated only 8 kilometers from one of the largest Ring-billed gull colonies in North America; the landfill is their principal feeding place. During the period of dependency in July, nearly 5 000 individuals could be found at the landfill if no wildlife management was performed.
In addition to acting as a consultant on many environmental issues, FES developed the control program and has provided wildlife management since 1995 at Browning and Ferris Industries Landfill in Quebec, Canada. FES also provides training to landfill personnel relative to health and safety, wildlife control strategy, nuisance evaluation, control program effectiveness, etc.