Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassador Project

In Canmore, there are over 2500 non-native fruit-bearing trees, which were most often planted as ornamental landscaping features. These trees now produce a multitude of fruits that are an irresistible buffet to bears who have been foraging for pea-sized berries all summer. The high-caloric value of a crabapple, mountain ash or choke cherry tree make these trees a prime target for hungry bears and their cubs, and as a result, many of the bears who fall prey to these temptations end up leaving town in the back of a truck, dead or alive, due to the threat that they pose to residents and visitors.

During the summer of 2023, we partnered with the Town of Canmore on a Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassador Pilot Project, a new tactic under the Keep Wildlife Alive Social Norms Campaign previously developed by the Towns of Canmore and Banff. We had two Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassadors who worked part-time from July to November to deliver an on-the-ground education campaign to influence social norms under the Keep Wildlife Alive program mentioned above. This pilot program used an education-based approach through door-to-door canvassing to connect with residents of Canmore, with the overall goal of having personal conversations with residents about the importance of removing wildlife attractants, such as fruit trees, from their properties.

The project working group, which included the two Ambassadors plus staff members from WildSmart, the Town of Canmore and Municipal Enforcement, determined that face-to-face conversations would be the most effective form of outreach, as it gave residents and Ambassadors the opportunity to engage on a more personal level, created higher exposure of the project, and gave the resident the chance to be heard and understood.

The Ambassadors focused their educational efforts in the central area of Canmore. This area was chosen because bears that enter the downtown core are at the highest risk of being relocated or killed, compared to bears that entered residential areas in other areas of town.

Positive Outcomes

With a goal of heightening understanding of human-wildlife coexistence, and sharing perspectives and potential actions residents could take to support coexistence in Canmore, the Ambassadors had 174 unique conversations with residents of Canmore, which resulted in a greater understanding of the need to remove attractants and commitments to discuss the topic with neighbours.

The Ambassadors were identified with the Keep Wildlife Alive Social Norms message of “Bear Bombs” on their yellow t-shirts and hats and reported an overall positive and encouraging experience. The majority of residents who were spoken to demonstrated a deep care for wildlife. By using an educational approach, Ambassadors were able to have open and honest conversations with residents, allowing them to share their personal experiences and provide valuable insights for the future direction of the program. The most universal outcome from the Ambassador conversations was an appreciation for the personal conversations and the importance of supporting the reduction of wildlife attractants in Canmore.

The Ambassadors also noted numerous scenarios where, after educational conversations with the Ambassadors, the homeowner expressed their intent to remove their fruit trees themselves. Ambassadors spoke to a resident who was unaware that their tree bore fruit, and they proceeded to take it down the next day by themselves. Many residents that ambassadors spoke with were unaware that bears had been in Town or had been removed/relocated. Residents expressed gratitude towards Ambassadors for spreading the word and understood the importance of the project. In two particularly memorable scenarios, where properties were owned by senior citizens, neighbours volunteered to remove fruit from their trees to support the seniors in their effort to remove wildlife attractants.

In addition to speaking with households directly regarding the importance of removing fruit trees, the Ambassadors were also able to have meaningful conversations with households who did not have fruit trees. The Ambassadors had several conversations about key human-wildlife coexistence topics such as safely cleaning and storing barbeques, putting away bird feeders, properly storing waste, keeping dogs on leash and cats indoors, and education on the habits and movements of bears in town. During the fall, several households were visited that had pumpkins on display outside on their property. After quick conversations, many homeowners (over 15) quickly brought their pumpkins inside while the Ambassadors were still present.

A survey was completed by Ambassadors after each resident interaction and here are a few results from the 174 interactions:

• 142 conversations were centered around fruit-bearing trees

• 13 residents pledged to remove their trees

• 27 pledged to consistently remove fruit from their trees

• 40 residents were previously unaware that their tree is an attractant, and pledged to consider mitigation options

Some other findings to note were that an increased fruit tree removal incentive budget would reduce the financial barrier of tree removal cost for residents and the option to receive a voucher for replacement may create a more appealing option for residents who are emotionally attached to their trees, help maintain the desired look of their yard, and encourage the planting of approved species.

The Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassador pilot program worked closely with Municipal Enforcement staff in Canmore to ensure that their messaging was consistent. The Ambassadors were able to visit households through a strictly educational approach to encourage behaviour change which ultimately helps to support the work of Municipal Enforcement in Canmore under the Community Standards Bylaw.

In total, between the Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassadors and the Municipal Enforcement staff, during the summer/fall in 2023, 329 households received one-on-one personalized education about human-wildlife coexistence and the importance of removing wildlife attractants in Canmore.

When travelling door-to-door the Ambassadors left the handout shown below for residents to review following their conversation, or if no one was available to talk or residents were not home.

Future of The Project

The Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassador Project is back again this year, and we have contracted a third Ambassador to the team! The Ambassadors have been going door-to-door in Canmore since early June educating residents about the importance of removing wildlife attractants such as fruit trees (or at a minimum removing the fruit before it is ripe) and the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program.

In addition to the program continuing in Canmore, the Biosphere Institute has been contacted by the Town of Banff and the Municipal District of Bighorn to explore the potential of running the Ambassador program in all three communities in the Bow Valley, thereby expanding the reach and tactics utilized across the region under the Keep Wildlife Alive Social Norms program.

Keep an eye out for our three amazing Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassadors Anna, Graham and Susan in their bright yellow shirts in the coming weeks and months. Have a chat with them about how keeping your yard free of wildlife attractants can help keep people safe and reduce the number of bears that get relocated and killed for feeding in residential fruit trees.

Town of Canmore Support

The Town of Canmore led by example to start of this pilot project. In August 2023, the team was able to work with a local arborist, Alpine Precision Tree Services Ltd. to remove three mountain ash trees from Friendship Park, a very central and popular location within Town. The team invited members of the media to report on the removals, and the Town of Canmore Mayor, Sean Krausert, was present for the removal of the trees, and expressed his hope that residents of the Town will take advantage of the incentive program in the future. The Town has also allocated funding and committed to continue to remove fruit-bearing trees from town land over the next four years.

Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program

The Town of Canmore Sustainability Department offers a fruit-bearing tree removal incentive program in order to assist residents with the financial burden of removing their fruit-bearing vegetation. Individuals who own a home or property located within the Town of Canmore are eligible for the incentive. The incentive covers up to 100% of the pre-tax cost of removal of the fruit tree(s) or bush(es) by an arborist or tree removal service, up to $500 per property. The program is first-come first-served, while funds are available.

New this year, condos or commercial properties with five or more trees for removal may be eligible for additional support (up to $1000/property) for 2024 only.

In 2023, the budget for this incentive program was $10,000 and was fully subscribed by August. This year, in 2024, the budget for this incentive program has been increased to $60,000.

To apply for this incentive program, residents need to send an email to sustainability@canmore.ca with the subject line: fruit tree incentive program and indicate they are interested in the program. After receiving a reply, they can contract an arborist or tree removal service to remove the fruit tree(s) and/or bush(es) from their property. After removal is complete, they must email a copy of the paid invoice to sustainability@canmore.ca and they will get reimbursed for the cost of removal up to $500/property, and for 2024 only, up to $1000 per property for condos or commercial properties with five or more trees removed.

Click here for more details on this Incentive Program and How to Apply!

Removing the fruit yourself?

WildSmart has pruning shears and extendable pole saw pruners and fruit pickers that can be borrowed (free of charge) to assist Bow Valley residents in removing fruit and berry bushes from their property. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit removal equipment.

Success Stories in our Community!

We would like to highlight residents who are making decisions with what is best for wildlife in mind with the hopes of inspiring others to do the same, which is what human-wildlife coexistence is all about! This week we are featuring Donna Jo Massie, who recently removed her Mountain Ash tree (see before, during and after removal photos below). Here is Donna Jo’s story:

BEFORE: “After some thought and consideration, I have decided that I’m going to have to part ways with my Mountain Ash tree that has been in the yard for 34 years. It’s going to be too big a job to get all of the berries off and I don’t want to have to worry about having a bear get up in the branches. With the dry conditions, there could be more bears in town this fall looking for food, and I would like to be part of the solution… Although, I will miss my tree!”

AFTER: “I had my Mountain Ash tree removed and sent my invoice to the Town. I don’t want a dead bear on my conscience and I did think about the fact that there will be a poor berry crop this year and I think we’re going to have bears in town. Anyway, I hope it will inspire some other people to take down their mountain ash trees. I’m doing a little research, and looking at the WildSmart website, for tree replacement options. I think my hedges will grow in and get a little taller and I’m looking at non-fruit bearing trees that grow quickly. All of a sudden, I have more light in my living room and I can actually see the mountain now.”

Way to go Donna Jo!