We are now into late spring and with this comes the emergence of an array of wildlife and the season beginning of the WildSafeBC program.
WildSafeBC is a provincial program designed to reduce human-wildlife conflict through education, innovation, and cooperation.
To kick things off, WildSafeBC is partnering with the Village of New Denver to host a community forum on Tuesday June 20 at 7 p.m. at the Bosun Hall in New Denver (710 Bellvue Street). Everyone is invited to this public meeting to discuss what we can do to keep bears wild and the community safe. There will be a panel including WildSafeBC Provincial Coordinator Frank Ritcey, Conservation Officer Ben Beetlestone, RCMP Cpl. Jaime Moffat, and staff and council representatives from the Villages of New Denver and Silverton.
The goal of the meeting is to provide residents with information regarding the roles and responsibilities of each agency, with a question and answer period from the audience.
Also this month in Nakusp, WildSafeBC will be doing a garbage-tagging blitz in collaboration with the Village of Nakusp Public Works staff to remind residents about the new changes to their garbage bylaw. Garbage placed on the curbside prior to 7 a.m. may be tagged with a bright yellow warning sticker — a reminder that garbage placed out early is a wildlife attractant.
A free electric fence workshop is being held Thursday June 22 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Nakusp Senior’s Hall (210 8th Ave). Correctly installed and maintained electric fencing provides a cost-effective and easy solution to prevent or stop bear conflicts.
This workshop will discuss different e-fencing designs for permanent and temporary fences that can be adapted to your particular needs.
Please register ahead by calling WildSafeBC Community Coordinator, Bree Lillies, at 250-354-8120 or email newdenver@wildsafebc.com.
The WildSafeBC program offers support to residents so they are equipped with the knowledge and tools to be proactive with their attractant management.
The motto of WildSafeBC is “keeping wildlife wild and communities safe” which underscores the belief that if we can keep wildlife unhabituated, we can, in turn, make our communities safer for us and at the same time keep wildlife from coming to harm.
For more information, contact Bree Lillies at newdenver@wildsafebc.com or by phone 250-354-8120. Check out www.wildsafebc.com and follow the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wildsafebc/newdenver-nakusp.
WildSafeBC New Denver-Nakusp is made possible through the support from the Ministry of Environment, the British Columbia Conservation Foundation, the Regional District of Central Kootenay, the Columbia Basin Trust, and the Village of New Denver.