Quackersnacks Leaflet - St Albans City & District Council

Your Health
What you can do to help
Bread thrown into the lake or onto the banks
can cause problems for waterfowl, fish and the
environment.
When bread rots in the water, it creates perfect
conditions for algae (a plant which grows in the
water) to grow. The algae uses up the oxygen
which fish need to survive, and large amounts
of algae can make the water smell unpleasant.
Certain types of algae can make the water
poisonous to pets if they drink it.
Bread which is left behind can attract pests
such as rats and foxes. Waterfowl and rats will
leave droppings where they feed, so bread left
at the edge of the water will create an unhealthy
environment for people who visit the lake.
Many people have fond memories from
childhood of feeding the ducks. So, instead of
telling people not to feed the local wildlife at
all, we are encouraging people to use ‘healthy
snacks’ of grain rather than bread. You can get
bags of grain from the Inn on the Park or the
ice cream seller for a small fee.
We recommend that you should only feed the
waterfowl at specific feeding sites shown by
the ‘Quackersnacks’ signs. This will reduce
the amount of time and money we spend on
cleaning up the area to make it safe and
pleasant for all visitors. Birds which have a
more natural, healthier diet can expect to live
a longer, happier life.
Thank You
This leaflet can be obtained in alternative
formats, eg. in braille, large print, on audio
tape, or email by contacting the council on
01727 819366