Do you still have your Jack or Jill O’Lanterns on your front porch?
You might want to think twice before tossing your pumpkin in the woods.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) says you should compost them or ask a nearby farm or animal rehab centre if they are in need.
Mhairi McFarlane, the NCC’s director of science and stewardship, says it’s about keeping wildlife healthy.
“Causing animals to congregate around an unnatural food source can put them at greater risk of transmitting disease, and if the site is close to a road, can increase their risk of being killed by vehicles,” MacFarlane says. “While pumpkins may be tasty and attract animals such as deer, moose, raccoons and squirrels, they do not require additional food.”
She adds some people have left pumpkins on NCC lands, and explains dumping anything on private property is illegal.
McFarlane warns this could also encourage others to drop off additional items, which may not decompose.
