Editor: It should not come as a surprise that this has occurred this summer/fall given the failure of the berry crop throughout the valley.
Both black and grizzly bears need to build up fat for the winter sleep and will go wherever this food source is available.
While I support all of the work done regarding bearproofing Canmore with respect to the work that WildSmart has done, along with the bearproof residential garbage bins, I find it somewhat hypocritical that while walking past the planted trees and shrubs at Elevation Place I noticed at least two chokecherry trees bearing fruit.
I would assume there are more, as I did not walk throughout the area.
The Town of Canmore needs to recognize that in order to prevent the continuation of the removal of bears from the townsite you need to get rid of all attractants. You need to lead by example and not allow attractants to be planted within your developments.
You also need to get rid of the non-bearproof commercial garbage bins that are throughout Canmore and also ensure that no approved residential developments are not wildlife attractants.
Lastly, the Town of Canmore needs to work with residents that have established shrubs and trees that are bearing fruit to encourage either the removal of these plants or at the very least removal of the fruit before wildlife finds it.
None of this is new regarding how to bearproof Canmore. Alberta Fish and Wildlife Officers, biologists, Alberta Parks ecologists and Alberta Parks conservation officers have been promoting these practices for years. In order to prevent the continual removal of bears from the Bow Valley it is time for the residents of Canmore to speak up, especially to town council, and ask that bearproofing the town become a priority.
Randy Axani,
Kananaskis
