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Yard and garden options available to minimize deer damage: city says
Regular summer activities including yard and garden maintenance are in full swing and the possibility is there that you and your neighbours won’t be the only ones stopping by to admire all your hard work. The City of Cranbrook’s urban deer population – both mule and white tail deer – will be active in many areas of the community looking to make a meal out of many plants and shrubs. In spring and summer months, mule deer eat a variety of herbaceous plants and grasses during the summer, even though they are primarily browsers of shrubs. There are a few techniques that can be used to protect your property from deer damage.
“With a combination of landscaping with deer resistant plants, fencing, hazing techniques and deer repellents, you can protect your property from deer damage,” says Mayor Wayne Stetski. “Fencing is really the only guaranteed method to preventing damage from deer in your yard.” In the City’s Zoning Bylaw under Fencing, in all residential zones, the maximum height for a fence in the front yard is one metre and all other yards, 1.8 metres. Talk with your landscape professional or visit your favourite local nursery to find out more about deer-resistant plants that thrive locally. The City of Cranbrook has an information brochure, ‘Living with Urban Deer,’ which is available for pick up at city hall or by downloading a copy from the city’s website – www.cranbrook.ca. The Ministry of Environment website www.env.gov.bc.ca/cos/info/wildlife_human_interaction/docs/ungulates.html also has much information on how to reduce deer conflicts in your yard.
Any acts of deer aggression where public safety is at risk should be reported. The City of Cranbrook and the provincial Conservation Officer Service each keep track of these instances of aggression. To report an incident to the Conservation Officer Service, please call 1-877-952-7277.
To report an incident to the City of Cranbrook, please call 250-426-4211 or email [email protected]. You can also visit East Kootenay Wildlife Aware on Facebook for information about living with deer and other urban wildlife.
East Kootenay Wildlife Aware is an educational program sponsored by the City of Cranbrook, City of Kimberley, the Columbia Basin Trust, the BC Conservation Foundation and Vast Resources.
City of Cranbrook
