The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) has announced the existence of a new regional Bear Aware program in the Regional District.
Bear Aware is an educational program that teaches residents how to manage and reduce bear attractants, and in turn, reduces the opportunity for human-bear conflicts.
In 2011, the District of Mission initiated its program and significantly raised awareness regarding the proper storage of waste materials to prevent the attraction of bears to residential areas. Based on last year’s success the FVRD has decided to introduce the program regionally.
“This is a great opportunity for the Regional District to assist communities in providing a unified message regarding bears, their behavior and providing the public with educational information to reduce bear/people conflicts,” said Sharon Gaetz, Chair, FVRD.
Lydia Koots, Chair of the Hope Mountain Black Bear Committee, will provide residents in Hope with educational information and awareness to assist in the reduction of bear/ people conflicts.
Annually, hundreds of bears are destroyed in B.C., as a result of people not managing attractants properly. Bears that become conditioned to human food often end up posing a threat to human safety and are consequently destroyed.
All bear sightings should be reported to the provincial RAPP line: 1-877-952-7277.