The bears are back. While it seems that the bears stayed away from homes this summer to take advantage of the amazing huckleberry crop this year, communities are now seeing bears again this fall.
To help people remember that garbage attracts bears, (and to have some fun) Nelson, RDCK Areas E and F WildSafeBC is encouraging you to explore your inner poet. WildSafeBC and Kootenay Coop Radio are sponsoring a “trashy” poetry contest. Wax poetic about bears and garbage and win one of two bear-resistant garbage cans. Submit a haiku that reflects how dangerous garbage is for bears by Oct. 27 to: bear(at)kootenaycoopradio.com. The Nelson and District Credit Union and Rollins Machinery are supplying two bear-resistant garbage cans as prizes. Haikus will be read on air.
WildSafeBC is asking people to keep their garbage from becoming bear food and bringing bears to your community. Please store your garbage so that bears don’t gain access to your trash by storing it indoors, in a secure shed or in a bear-resitant container.
Remember: it is illegal to allow wildlife access to garbage and other attractants. There are now significant fines for this offence under the Wildlife Act. Nelson also has a wildlife attractant bylaw that regulates the presence of wildlife attractants in the city.
Learn more about identifying and managing wildlife attractants near your home by visiting wildsafebc.com or emailing Joanne Siderius, Nelson, Areas E and F WildSafeBC (fromerly Bear Aware) Community Coordinator, at nelson(at)wildsafebc.com.
Bear Aware gratefully acknowledges the BC Ministry of the Environment, the RDCK and the British Columbia Conservation Foundation for their financial support. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Columbia Basin Trust which supports efforts to deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to the residents of the Columbia Basin.