2005
Bear Wise Program for Reducing Human-Bear Conflicts
At this time, the Ministry of
Natural Resources (MNR) is not proposing any specific policy proposal subject
to the requirements of EBR. Any future policies or regulatory proposals
regarding human-bear conflicts or bear management will be posted on the EBR Registry
for further public review and comment as required.
In 2005 MNR will continue to coordinate the Bear Wise Program in order to:
1. reduce human-bear conflicts;
2. make our communities safer; and
3. encourage the public to respect the role bears play in Ontario’s
biodiversity.
The Bear Wise Program encourages the public to take preventive measures to live
safely with bears, where they are found. As part of these efforts, beginning
April 1, 2005 the MNR will again staff the Bear Wise Program’s toll-free telephone
line, available to the public for reporting human-bear conflicts. In addition,
the MNR will continue to work cooperatively with provincial, municipal and
aboriginal police services to respond to problem bears. A funding program to
support communities in their hazard assessments, education and awareness and
prevention initiatives will be available again in 2005, with an application
deadline of March 15. Substantial education and awareness efforts will continue
to provide prevention messages to a wide spectrum of Ontario’s population and
visitors to the Province.
In 2004 MNR launched the Bear
Wise Program to reduce human-bear conflicts. The Bear Wise Program is based on
four cornerstones:
1. prevention;
2. education and awareness;
3. reporting – including a 24/7 toll-free telephone number; and
4. response.
The public can again in 2005 telephone 1-866-514-BEAR (2327) toll-free to
report human-bear conflicts that have the potential for human injury or damage
to property. The Bear Wise toll-free telephone line will be available 24 hours
a day, seven days a week beginning April 1st until mid-November (dependent on
fall conditions). The response centre also provides useful prevention messages.
Operators will provide advice on how to reduce bear attractants and, where
appropriate, will arrange for a site visit from MNR staff. In emergency
situations the public should continue to call the local police services.
MNR has developed a number of awareness products available to the public that provide
prevention messages to learn how to reduce human-bear conflicts, how to be safe
in bear country and that reinforce the need to respect bears. These awareness
materials are available in hard copy and electronically through the Bear Wise
website: http://bears.mnr.gov.on.ca/. The public and communities can access
fact sheets, technical notes and other useful information in both English and
French, and Ojibway and Cree (where appropriate). The focus of these materials
is the effective management of bear attractants in order to live safely with
bears. New awareness products are added to the website regularly. During the
spring of 2005, there will be an expansion of materials designed to be used by
teachers and students, including an electronic book.
Related documentation is found
at the “Additional Material" at the bottom of this notice.
More than 600 communities,
police services and stakeholders were invited in 2004 to participate in
discussions about the Bear Wise Program’s approach to managing human-bear
conflicts. Approximately 166 groups including communities, police services and
stakeholders took part in the discussions held. Additional consultations with
communities, police services, and stakeholders will take place in 2005 in an
ongoing effort to increase the participation of these groups in the efforts to
reduce human-bear conflicts by instituting prevention measures, in particular
the effective management of bear attractants.
Additional comments about the Bear Wise Program can be submitted to the contact
person noted below.
Lee-Ann Choquette, Bear Wise
Program
MNR Field Services Division
3rd Floor South Tower, 300 Water Street
Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 8M5
PHONE: (705) 755-1364 FAX: (705) 755-1361
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/mnr/ebr/nbrc/index.html
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/csb/news/2003/dec17nr_03.html
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/csb/news/2004/mar30nr_04.html
http://bears.mnr.gov.on.ca/