We are now in the fruit ripening season and WildSafeBC Elk Valley has some advice for managing your fruit trees to avoid providing feed for bears or deer.

To protect your harvest, manage it by:

> Keeping the tree a manageable size

> Picking fruit as early as possible

> Protecting your tree with electric fencing (after checking your local bylaws for any restrictions)

Electric fencing is an effective tool that prevents bears from becoming food-conditioned and dependent on human sources of food. It is simply not safe for bears, ourselves, and our community for bears to access food in our neighbourhoods.

Wildsight Elk Valley also has an Apple Capture program to help you keep up with your ripening fruit and share your fruit with someone who can help you pick. You can borrow fruit picking, juicing, preserving and tree pruning tools. You can post your tree on the Tree Share Board. You can attend juice pressing events to make the most of your harvest. Check out wildsight.ca for more information.

All of these steps can help keep wildlife out of your yard and away from human contact.