As published in the Banff Crag and Canyon, August 8, 2001

Be Berry Smart

Naturalists and park wardens say hikers and bikers need to become more sophisticated about playing in the mountains - especially right now as bears are feeding along trails and roadsides.

When Canmore naturalist Ward Cameron posted a quiz on his Web site to teach people about living and playing safely in the mountains, he learned something disturbing.

Barely half of the 500-plus test takers could identify a buffaloberry bush - the lush food source that bears devour in late summer and fall before they settle into winter dens. The berries are repening throughout the Valley right now.

People should know better, he says of the quiz results.

"They've got to stay home in August. That's the bottom line," says Cameron. "Nobody living in the eastern slope should be out in a bumper berry crops if they cant' identify it."

His goal is to help hikers, bikers and nature lovers learn to live better with wildlife. That means teaching people essential facts about bears, their appetites, and their changing behaviour throughout the seasons.

In August and September, hikers and bikers need to make choices about their trails. The smarter we are, the less our chances of a dangerous encounter with a hungry bear.

"If you can avoid a trail that has a very strong crop of buffaloberries, you're definitely going to reduce your chances of an unwanted encounter," he said. Bears became engrossed with feeding, and many encounters with humans happen because they are surprises.

"You can schedule your hikes based on the knowledge that every August these berries will come out. One of the big challenges in an area like we live in is you do have a lot of people out that don't really know enough," he said.

"My hope is that they'll then dig into more information."

It's a new approach, he says, giving people the tools before they head out.

"Parks is short-staffed, they don't have a lot of resources and, let's fac it, the trails are getting more and more popular," he said.

The chances of running into a hungry bear are higher right now.

"With more and more visitors every year, and people who perhaps don't have the knowledge, maybe we don't have the knowledge, maybe we need to look at a new approach."

Banff National Park warden Glen Peers says the year's berries don't qualify as a bumper crop, but rather an average year. Still, the Valley is berry-laden and that means recreationalists need to be aware that bears are taking advantage of the situation.

"We have lots of berries. The key is light penetration through the canopy," he said of the berries that grow where people play - along trails, roads and campsites.

Bears are driven by food and will remember where the food source is, he said.

"That's pretty much what's happened in the Minnewanka area. At least some of the bears that were there last year are back that were there last year are back and we expect them to remain at least for the next month"

Getting the message across to outdoor lovers is always a challenge, he said. While Parks displays warning and educational signs at trailhead, hikers and bikers need to take more responsibility.

"People should just file this as an annual event at the first of August - you should have your head up when it comes to that you should be thinking bears all the time and particularly during this time of year when the natural foods are coming on."

Cameron's Web site is www.MountainNature.com.