Amy Steele, The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times
Published: Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Blueberry farmers face new restrictions in the use of propane cannons to scare
off birds under new provincial regulations.
The use of propane cannons has long been a source of irritation for adjacent
residents because they are so loud and go off constantly.
Under the new regulations blueberry farmers will no longer be able to use bear
bangers to scare away birds feasting on blueberries.
They will also be required to have a 200-metre separation between the propane
cannons and a neighbouring residence.
Prior to the change a 150-metre separation was required.
Blueberry farmers will no longer be able to use propane cannons between noon
and 3 p.m.
The province made the changes in consultation with the B.C. Blueberry Growers
Association, the Fraser Valley Regional District and interested stakeholders.
Liberal MLA Randy Hawes says the regulations don't go far enough.
He's vowing to keep fighting until propane cannons are banned all together. The
propane cannons are "unbelievably disruptive for some people."
"If you happen to live next door and if you're surrounded by blueberry
fields...you can literally have several hundred shots firing around you every
few minutes," said Hawes.
Blueberry farms also broadcast bird distress calls over loudspeakers throughout
the day and Hawes said there are often people driving around on ATVs firing
bear bangers off.
Under the new regulations the bear bangers will be out and there will at least
be a bit of relief for neighbours when it comes to the firing of propane
cannons, said Hawes.
"Some people said at least give us a break so we can go out and have lunch in
our yard," said Hawes.
Hawes said the prohibition from using propane cannons between noon and 3 p.m.
shouldn't hurt blueberry farmers because birds generally don't eat blueberries
during that time period.
Hawes said it's been "a pretty tough fight" trying to eliminate or even reduce
propane cannon usage.
"It's incredible the noise and there's no other industry in British Columbia
that we would allow to take away the neighbour's right to quiet enjoyment of
their property like this....It's just not right. If you open a gravel pit we
put in laws about the noise you can emit at your property line: Why don't we do
that for blueberries," said Hawes.
"There's a lot of pushback from the industry. The industry doesn't seem to have
too much sympathy for the neighbours who have to live with this."
Hawes would like to see blueberry farmers use alternatives such as nets of
falcons to keep birds away.
"I will keep fighting it until cannons are gone," he said.
Hawes would also like to see the province introduce a program to reduce the
starling population, which he said is the primary bird chowing down on
blueberry crops.
"Of course that's going to bring out every bird lover to say that's a terrible
thing," he said.
The TIMES attempted to get comment from several local farms, but was unable to
reach anyone by press time.
Meanwhile, Ting Wu of Formosa Nursery, an organic blueberry farm, said his
business doesn't use propane cannons or bear bangers. Instead they use owl
scarecrows.
"I think there should be other ways because blowing cannons scares people. A
plant itself is a living thing so we have different views of things like that,"
said Wu. "I think (blueberry farmers) are trying to protect their crops but
(propane cannons) cause a nuisance for people living nearby. It's a hard one."
asteele@mrtimes.com
