
Apple pie. Peach cobbler. Hot cider. Chilled jam. Is your mouth watering yet?
Bears and other wildlife end up in dangerous conflict scenarios every year when they are drawn to fruit or berry trees, bushes and shrubs that are in many B.C. (and other regions nation-wide) backyards. While some of us may love seeing the wildlife up close, in communities experiencing conflict, allowing the animals to feast gets them more comfortable around people and near houses or other human things. In many regions, this inevitably leads to the death of the animal, either through the significant change in their behaviour (crossing roads, being comfortable around hunters or others who may wish to do them harm) or at the hands of provincial authorities who deem them ‘food conditioned’ or ‘habituated.’
Fortunately, there are numerous ways to use these fruits and berries, which can directly and indirectly help your community and local wildlife! These include donating edible fruits and berries to community organizations (like shelters and food banks), trading within your community, donating to wildlife rehabilitators and, of course, making delicious foods!
Read more: Make fruit tree cleanup a community tradition
The Fur-Bearers want to celebrate these many ways to use fruits and berries by having a contest. We’re giving away a signed copy of John E. Marriott’s beautiful hardcover book, Tall Tales and Long Lenses to a randomly selected participant!
How To Enter
We’ll take recipes (remember we’ll be sharing them!), photos, art, stories and any other use you can think of! Send your favourite way to use these fruits to [email protected] and we’ll randomly select a winner on September 7, 2020. The deadline for submissions is 12:00 am PT on September 6, 2020.
We can’t wait to see what you share!!!