Qualicum Beach town staff is asking residents to stop dumping discarded fruit in the town's trails and forests.
Just last week, Coun. Neil Horner said he saw a dumping of apples at the entrance of the dog park just behind the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre. He said the situation was asking for bear problems.
A few weeks before that, a town staff member noticed a man carrying a bag of apples under the power lines along Highway 4. The man told the staff member that he leaves them for the deer.
Town staff said not only is abandoned food waste considered illegal dumping, it could also attract other wildlife, including bears.
Discarded fruit that can still be eaten can be donated to the Parksville Salvation Army food bank (www.parksvillesalvationarmy.ca/food_bank). Discarded fruit that cannot be eaten by humans can be donated to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (www.niwra.org). — NEWS Staff