WildSafeBC’s fifth-annual BC Goes Wild is coming up, with the organization asking Cranbrook and Kimberley to celebrate with events on September 19 and 20.
Historically speaking, September sees the highest number of conflicts between humans and bears. BC Goes Wild intentionally coincides with this in order to promote awareness of these issues, while enjoying living in a place full of natural beauty and wildlife.
Local WildSafeBC coordinators, like Danica Roussy of Cranbrook and Kimberley, host events in their communities that feature activities including nature walks, fruit presses, bear spray demonstrations, wildlife art and more.
WildSafeBC is also running a photo contest, available to anyone from around the province, who can enter by sharing their best “WildSafe activities,” to social media and tagging the organization with the hashtag #wildsafebc.
WildSafeBC also encourages people to tag them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter with the same hashtag, and share with them all the ways you live, work, play and grow in B.C. in a menner tha treduces conflict with wildlife and keeps wildlife wild and your community safe.
Some of the activities include securing garbage and compost indoors until the morning of collection, picking fruit prior to it being fully ripe and letting it ripen in a secure location and carrying bear spray while running, hiking or biking in the back country.
Cranbrook’s event will be held on September 19. This will include a wildlife safety talk, followed by a bear spray demonstration at the Cranbrook Community Forest trail head in the College of the Rockies parking lot at 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. WildSafe asks that you please leave your dogs at home.
On September 20 in Kimberley, WildSafeBC will be co-hosting the annual Harvest Party in conjunction with Wildsight.
The garden will open at 1 p.m. and WildSafeBC will be conducting a wildlife safety talk followed by the bear spray demonstration from 1:15 - 2 p.m. From 2-2:30 p.m., there will be a talk on a food hub and attractant management, followed by a harvesting in the garden, which is open to everyone.
There is more information about these events on WildSafeBC’s Facebook page, and you can also contact kimberley@wildsafebc.com to learn more.
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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