Fruit Exchange Program Needs Participants
Thursday, October 3, 2013 @ 3:45 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The Northern Bear Awareness Society is once again calling on residents to remove the fruit from trees.Next to garbage, fruit from trees is a top bear attractant.
( at right, bear in a backyard, photo 250News archive)
“Bears can remember where they found food sources before” says Dave Bakker of the Northern Bear Awareness Society.
There is a fruit exchange program , where people wanting fruit can be put in contact with those who have fruit they don’t need. “This year, the program is not as successful as it has been in the past” says Bakker. He says he has received reports of poor apple crops, and of fruit that had yet to ripen. But bears don’t care if the fruit has reached peak pick condition. If it’s available food, “really hungry bears will eat them anyway” says Bakker.
He says the fruit exchange program normally has more people wanting fruit than those who are offering fruit almost at a 2 to 1 ratio this year.
While there have been some calls from folks who needed trees cleaned off quickly because the bears were already into them, Bakker says it is difficult for the Society’s volunteers to offer immediate response because Northern Bear Awareness doesn’t have a “Gleaning Crew” that can head out at a moment’s notice to pick fruit.
The Society’s practice has been to act as an intermediary, linking those who have fruit with those who need it. If you are in need of fruit, or are looking for someone who is, you can contact Northern Bear Awareness at 778-281-2327 or send them an email at nbasociety@gmail.comConnecting with the Northern Bear Awareness Society by phone or email will also help the Society re-establish its’ contact list which was lost when a virus hit their central data system earlier this year.
Earlier this week, Conservation Officer Gary Van Spangen told 250News there have been 800 bear sightings in Prince George so far this year. That number is the average for a full year, and there are still 8 weeks to go before bears have denned for the winter. So far 20 bears have been destroyed because they had become habituated to either garbage or fruit trees.
Don’t forget, it is illegal to attract or feed dangerous wildlife. The BC Wildlife Act provides for heavy fines for those caught feeding the bears.
Comments
I think we need a city wide, Apple sauce contest.
That is actually a great idea. Creative crapbapple recipes would be great!
You both are geniuses, what a great idea maybe something to work on for next year.
Thank you
The Senior Centers will take the apples. I boil them up, put them through a strainer and make apple sauce ,put the sauce in containers and freeze it ,and later use the sauce instead of oil in my recipes. Have you ever had apple sauce cake??
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