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By Chris Brown

Don't feed the wildlife

Responsibly reusing your Halloween pumpkins

Nov 3, 2021 | 10:01 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Halloween decorations have come down and the graveyards have been put into storage for another year.

But how can you dispose of your pumpkins?

The Medicine Hat Interpretive Program has six ideas that will reduce food waste and, maybe more importantly, three reasons why you shouldn’t dispose of them in natural areas.

The interpretive program does not recommend feeding used pumpkins or any human food scraps to wildlife.

They say pumpkins and human food scraps are not a natural part of any wildlife’s diet.

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“Wildlife that becomes accustomed to, and reliant on, human food can become habituated to humans and can create issues. Sometimes wildlife must be euthanized if this happens,” says a release from the program.

As well, leaving pumpkins in parks or natural spaces is a form of littering.

They say reducing food waste takes some creativity and offer six suggestions.

• Use the pumpkin to make a baked treat or tasty meal—pumpkins are edible, after all! There are plenty of delicious pumpkin recipes online to choose from.
• Compost your pumpkin.
• Bury small chunks of pumpkin around your garden to serve as natural fertilizer.
• Reach out to a local livestock farmer who may be able to use the pumpkins to feed their animals.
• Make a pumpkin superfood snack for your dog or cat.
• Treat yourself to an at-home spa night featuring pumpkin facials.

For more information call the Nature Line at 403-529-6225, email mhip@natureline.info or find Police Point Park on social media (@policepointpark).