The District of Squamish announced this week that the Squamish Bear Aware Program is getting a 10-week head start thanks to additional funding from both the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) and the District of Squamish.
"We are a non-profit organization whose focus is to educate and motivate community members to manage their wildlife attractants i.e. available garbage, unpicked fruit, odiferous composts and accessible freezers," said Meg Toom, Squamish Bear Aware co-ordinator. "And with bears emerging from their winter dens within the next few months, we need to be prepared."
Bear Aware's goal is to reduce human/bear conflicts in residential neighbourhoods through education, innovation and co-operation. With the support for an early start up for 2009, the program will focus on bylaw amendments, initiatives for the year, and planning and decision-making aligned with Bear Smart.
"This year we are moving forward to revise our wildlife attractants bylaw and electric fencing bylaw to better align the bylaw with bear smart criteria, and to assist the bylaw enforcement office in the enforcement process to mitigate human/bear conflicts and increase public safety in our community," said Mayor Greg Gardner.Over the past five years, the district has supported Bear Smart initiatives with bear-resistant garbage, retrofitting garbage totes, and including Bear Smart criteria in the Official Community Plan.
"By reducing a bear's non-natural food supply, we reduce the number of bears within our neighbourhoods, which in turn improves public safety and reduces the needless destruction of bears," said Toom.
Bear Aware is always looking for volunteers. Contact Meg Toom at [email protected] or at 604 815-5066.
