An initiative is underway in Canmore to plant trees that don’t produce fruit in a bid to reduce attractants to wildlife, including bears.
Earlier this month, Alberta Parks and Environment planted non-fruit bearing trees outside Canmore’s provincial building, accompanied by an educational sign, and last year planted trees at Lac Des Arcs playground, Elevation Place and in the park by the Civic Centre.
Provincial wildlife officials say they are hoping to encourage people to replace existing fruit trees and shrubs with flowering alternatives that don’t produce fruit, such as the spring snow flowering crab.
“We’re trying to get people to use these rather than actual fruit bearing trees to reduce the chance of bears getting into fruit in the fall,” said Jay Honeyman, human-wildlife conflict biologist with Alberta Environment and Parks.
“It’s helping to prevent a bear from becoming habituated and maybe having to be moved out, or destroyed.”
There are mountain ash and chokecherry trees around town, on both private property and public property, including on the grounds of Elevation Place and Rotary Friendship Park by the Civic Centre.
Andreas Comeau, manager of public works for the Town of Canmore, said the municipality is responsible for maintenance of the trees at the Civic Centre and Elevation – but does not yet know the history of how they came to be planted there.
He said the Town has done an inventory, but, is waiting for more information.
“What we don’t know, is if they are male or female. We are not sure if they produce fruit but we know the trees are there,” he said.
“If they do, we will certainly look at replacing those trees over a period of time, but we need to do a bit more research.”
Mountain Lady’s Greenhouse has brought in the non-fruit bearing spring snow flowering crab trees at the request of Alberta Parks and Environment, which is working on the initiative with Bow Valley WildSmart and Bear Conflict Solutions Institute.
“There are a lot of people in town that have fruit trees, but they don’t want fruit, and the fruit rots and falls,” said Honeyman. “This is a good alternative for people who really aren’t interested in fruit, but like trees for the flowers they bring in the spring.”
