The District of Squamish has been chosen as one of fifteen communities to receive continued support for the Bear Aware program. The program designed to identify and resolve bear-related issues and reduce human-bear conflict is now entering into its sixth year. This program is available to the District from the Province through a program administered by the British Columbia Conservation Foundation, a non-profit organization.
“The District of Squamish remains committed to pursuing Bear Smart
accreditation and is supporting the Bear Aware Program for 2010,”said
Mayor Greg Gardner. “For the past five years, this on-going source for
community outreach has been instrumental in increasing individual and
community awareness and understanding of bears and human-bear
conflicts. Continued education and awareness is critical to the
proactive reduction of human-bear conflicts,” continued Gardner.
“I am looking forward to another year of building partnerships and
working co-operatively with the District of Squamish, the Bylaw
Enforcement Office, the Conservation Officer Service and the residents
of Squamish,” said Meg Toom, Squamish Bear Aware Coordinator.
The Ministry of Environment in partnership with the British Columbia
Conservation Foundation and the Union of British Columbia
Municipalities designed the Bear Smart Community program. It is a
voluntary, preventative conservation measure that encourages
communities, businesses and individuals to work together.
The goal of the program is to address the root causes of human-bear
conflicts; this in turn will reduce the risk to human safety and
private property, and reduce the number of bears that are needlessly
destroyed each year.
Squamish residents can report bear sightings and bear incidents to the
RAPP (Report a Polluter or Poacher) line at 1-877-952-RAPP. “A
Conservation Officer will be dispatched only if there is a risk to
human safety or to property, but all sightings are tabulated and we can
use these reports to direct our garbage patrols and door-to-door
activities,” said Toom.
Bear Aware is always looking for volunteers. Contact Meg at mtoom [at] squamish [dot] ca or at 604.815.5066
Bear Aware has been in existence since 1998, when it was accepted by
BCCF to develop the program for delivery around the province of British
Columbia. Since that time, BCCF Bear Aware, with consultation and
assistance from various experts and specialists, has developed a number
of documents that guide communities in how to conduct public education
aimed at attractant management to reduce bear-human conflict.
