Bear Aware projects 2007

Golden Bear Aware’s goals in our 2007 season from end of May to end of October are to complete the following projects:

PROVINCIAL BEAR SMART STATUS

To continue work on meeting the criteria for attaining Bear Smart Status which include:
	Prepare a bear hazard assessment of the community and surrounding area. (completed 2007)
	Prepare a bear/human conflict management plan that is designed to address the bear hazards and land-use conflicts identified in the previous step. (completed 2007)
	Revise planning and decision-making documents to be consistent with the bear/human conflict management plan. (in progress)
	Implement a continuing education program, directed at all sectors of the community. (completed)
	Develop and maintain a bear-proof municipal solid waste management system. (completed)
	Implement "Bear Smart" bylaws prohibiting the provision of food to bears as a result of intent, neglect, or irresponsible management of attractants. (to be completed)

BEAR ATTRACTANT CONTROL

	To substantially reduce the bear attractants in town at homes, particularly the number of garbage bins left out the night before pick up.
	To encourage local businesses to practice bear-smart garbage containment.
	To hold a community Fruit Drive to reduce fruit left on the ground and unused in the fall.
	To promote bear-proofing of homes and businesses.
	To continue fundraising to replace town bins with bear-resistant bins.
	To have School district replace all non-bear–resistant bins with bear-resistant bins.
	To invite local businesses to participate in the replacement of town bins through donating items to our Silent Auction in the early fall.
	To assist any residents who call with bear problems related to attractants.
	To refer any residents to Provincial Conservation Report line (RAPP) who are having conflicts with bears that need to be reported.
	To publicize our presence and desire to be of assistance through posters, dedicated Bear Aware cell line (290-1222), in the media and at community events and home visits.

BEAR EDUCATION

To assist residents in learning about bears and their behaviors. (Bear Aware Program Delivery Specialists go through an intense training session at the beginning of each bear year. New research and successful bear/human conflict reducing practices are learned. In the bear world, as with everything else in the science world, continues to develop new knowledge about bears and their interactions with us.)
	To sponsor our Second Annual “HiBEARnation Gala” with a very special guest speaker and Silent Auction.
	To offer free bear programs to schools and groups.
	To attend all town functions with a bear education booth.
	To create some town functions such as Bear AwareOpen House and HiBEARnation Gala, Adopt a Bear Bin, Business Bears etc. to provide bear information and activities.
	To visit every home in and around Golden in August with educational materials from Bear Aware including new fridge magnets, fruit drive into, HiBEARnation Gala invitations, and Bear Aware brochures.
	To create visual displays that educate in interesting ways.
	To place Bear Aware poster in every business in town to create a sense of awareness that we do live in bear country for residents and visitors.
	To provide Bear Aware brochures to any organization or group needing to get info to the public such as the Chamber of Commerce.

BEAR ATTRACTANT BYLAW

To encourage Town Council to pass a bylaw prohibiting the placement of garbage bins on the street the night before pick-up; also to prohibit the leaving of bear attractants on people’s property such as fruit fall.

RECORD KEEPING AND DATA COLLECTION

	To keep current data on bear sightings, improvements noted in garbage containment at homes and businesses to help identify where problems exist and to help solve them.
	To maintain maps of each year’s bear sightings for the same reason.

BEAR AWARE WEBSITE FOR GOLDEN AND SURROUNDING AREAS

To create and have developed into a website, a series of information pages for residents to access for bear sightings in their area, how to bear-proof your yard, volunteer opportunities, upcoming events, and other valuable information about bears in our area.

Bear Aware will invite anyone to join our group who is interested, meets our qualifications, and goes through a short training session. We are very enthused to have residents be involved in our program! (See our volunteers page)

ACCOUNTABILITY

	Towards the end of each Bear Awareseason we inteview at least 300 random residents and get their feelings and opinions on Golden Bear Aware and how we have done.
	Each year Golden Bear Aware publishes a Bear Aware Year End Report This is available to all residents at the Golden Public library. The accomplishment of all these 2007 goals will be reported on in this final report, along with the data collected all season and results of the resident interviews.