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Management
Resurfacing the islands is required if they are to remain attractive for birds every year. However, this task should not take longer than 15 minutes per island. Hand weeding, raking or spraying should be enough.
Duck and goose droppings can be a problem on densely populated islands, since they will accumulate to a thick layer with time and be almost impossible to decompose since the plastic layers underneath will limit the action of microorganisms.
It is vital to remove this excess every year, preferably during late winter or early spring before the birds start to nest. Too many droppings may attract unwanted parasites that could deter some species. Moving the droppings from the islands into the surrounding water may cause a problem with increased nutrients. It may be better to remove the droppings and use them as fertilizer elsewhere, rather than throwing them into the water.
Islands with mud surfaces over plastic require more management because the mud provides a better substrate for the establishment of vegetation. On these islands, management generally involves the removal of plenty of vegetation in the early spring and in the autumn, and where possible flooding over winter.
Finally, islands without a plastic lining tend to be rapidly overgrown. However, these can still be kept attractive for terns and some waders by annually removing all the vegetation in the early spring and in the autumn, again combined with flooding over winter if possible.