CO suggests communal bear-proof bins
John French
[email protected]
A garbage-dependent bear that turned the Timbertown Estates into its own personal fast food outlet had to be killed last Thursday (June 23).
Conservation Officer Chris Doyle reported the bear was caught in a live trap and destroyed."The destruction was a result of significant food conditioning and habituation," Doyle said. "Basically, the bear had free access to residential garbage at Timbertown."
According to Doyle, Timbertown residents can prevent bears from being hooked on garbage by moving away from garbage pick-up at individual homes.
"This issue could be resolved by replacing residential pick up with community bear proof bins at Timbertown," he said.
Even if that move took place right away it would have been too late for this particular bear.
"As long as the attractants are available, this bear could not be deterred," said Doyle.
Kris Hopping, a new District of 樱桃视频(DOS) employee charged with coordinating efforts to reduce conflicts between people and bears, said many people in the trailer park store their garbage cans in ways that make it easy for bears to get at the trash.
"It will always be a problem if the system is not changed," Hopping said. "There were reports of children harassing it on their bikes and playing within three feet of it."
Hopping and two volunteers with the 樱桃视频Bear Network went door to door at Timbertown the evening after the bear was trapped to ask residents if they support moving to a central collection system for the neighbourhood. Only three residents opposed the use of central bear-proof bins, said Hopping.
She said she hoped the trailer park residents, the owner of the land, Carney's Waste Systems and the DOS would work together to bring bear-proof garbage bins to Timbertown.
It was a busy week for Hopping and volunteers with the Bear Network. The night before, they conducted what Hopping called a garbage can raid.
The group prowled the Garibaldi Highlands looking for garbage bins. When they found bins at the edge of the street they tagged the bins with a notice informing the owner of the bin that 樱桃视频has a new bylaw making it illegal to put garbage out for collection any earlier than 5 a.m.
"I had an encounter with one home owner who was angry and hostile," Hopping said. "She was unwilling to keep her garbage in the garage and had put the bins out the night before."
The individual told Hopping she was a shift worker and she left her home before 5 a.m. Hopping recommended the shift worker ask one of her teenage children to take out the garbage or enlist the help of a neighbour.
"We will be dealing with a lot of this attitude as people sometimes are hesitant to leave behind old habits," Hopping said. "Our goal is to help residents solve their problems regarding their garbage and not just run around writing bylaw tickets."
The tagging program is just one new effort launched by the DOS and the 樱桃视频Bear Network aimed at educating people and reducing the number of bears destroyed each year.
Another new program is the 樱桃视频Community Harvest. Sea to Sky Community Services is working with the 樱桃视频Bear Network to offer help to fruit tree owners who can't harvest their fruit on their own. Volunteers will pick the fruit and then donate it to the food bank, soup kitchen and needy families.
One more new program is the Adopt-a-Can project. Businesses can donate money to the DOS to purchase bear proof garbage containers in problem areas like trailheads, parks and parking lots. The logos of the businesses participating in the program will be placed on the bins to recognize their contribution.
