Bear Aware Fruit Exchange Enters “21st Century”
Photo courtesy Northern Bear Awareness Society
Prince George, B.C. – The Northern Bear Awareness Society has “entered the 21st century.”
President Dave Bakker says they’ve done so by offering its Fruit Exchange program on Facebook.
“The program has been around for 10 years but we’ve moved into the 21st century now,” he says. “We decided to streamline this program with the effort to let people directly connect to address the (bear) attractant issue at this time of the year with all the fruits.”
Bakker says it allows people wanting fruit for “cooking, canning, anything like that” and who have excess fruit, to make a direct connection with eachother.
He notes the idea seems to be catching on. “Since the beginning of this year we had 65 people listed as members but it’s grown to about 190 within the last two months.”
Bakker hopes the ratio of people needing fruit and those looking to give it away will soon balance out.
“We’re guessing about 95 percent of these people are in search of fruit. There are hundreds of trees here that are in need of proper management in terms of harvesting and what we hope to do is open the doors to people who have more to offer.”
And to help eliminate dumping grounds. “There’s a lot of fruit being dropped off on the side of the roads. For example apples on Nechako Road across from Edgewood. This type of dumping has an alternate solution and it can go to animal feed.”
Does he believe the program is making a difference? “Well, I know of three or four trees that have already been cleared. We’re early this year and I believe it can make a difference but participation is needed with the people who have too much.”
For more information on the Fruit Exchange program click here.
Comments
Last fall I had a sow and her two cubs in my Mountain Ash on a regular basis for a week. They would come at around 4pm and again at around 8:30pm. Tried to pick the berries but couldn’t reach the higher ones. Eventually the birds cleaned off the berries to solved the problem. Funny thing, there are several other Mountain Ash in immediate proximity to mine, but they only came to mine.
One has to wonder what happens to the bears if all the fruit and berries are gone early. Do they just fatten up early and then wait for Winter?
“One has to wonder what happens to the bears if all the fruit and berries are gone early. Do they just fatten up early and then wait for Winter?” Nope, as Fall gets on & Winter approaches bears enter a phase called hyperphagia, which is they basically gorge themselves to fatten up for hibernation. Bears are natures garbinators, they will eat whatever is available. Which is why it’s so important to not leave food sources such as fruit & garbage out & readily available for them.
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