About Us

Revelstoke Bear Aware Society’s mission is to reduce human-bear conflict through education, cooperation and active management initiatives in the community of Revelstoke and surrounding area.

Black Bear

How We Communicate Our Message

PUBLIC EDUCATION

1) Presentations. We educate school groups, summer camps, preschools, as well as other community groups

2) Festivals and Community Events.  Bear Aware attends many local events and festivals

3) Website and Google Map.  Residents can view a Google Map to see recent bear sightings

4) Door-to-Door.   In areas of high bear activity we will initiated a door-to-door education campaign

5) Garbage Tagging.  Residents who put garbage cans on the curb the night before pick up may have a “Bear Attractant” sticker places on their garbage can to remind them to store garbage properly

SPECIAL PROJECTS

1) The Gleaning Project.  Bear Aware volunteers pick fruit to decrease bear attractants and donate fruit to Community Connections Food Bank

2) Workshops.  Bear Aware has offered special workshops on topics such as Fruit Tree Pruning and Electric Fencing

COMMUNITY PLANNING

1) The City of Revelstoke Waste Collection Strategy Committee.  Revelstoke Bear Aware is a member of this committee which aims to guide the community through the process of becoming Bear Smart.

2) Bear Smart.   Bear Smart is a voluntary provincial initiative aimed at encouraging communities to reduce the amount of conflict between people and bears by taking personal responsibility for change.  The program focuses on six criteria that communities must complete in order to achieve Bear Smart Status.

Background

The Revelstoke Bear Aware program was borne of the determination and compassion of the citizens of the city.

In 1994, our landfill was surrounded by electric fencing and bears were no longer able to feed there. Grown accustomed to garbage as a food source, local bears turned to garbage in the city. That year 62 bears were either killed or relocated. The following year, the berry crop failed and 23 bears were killed and 25 were relocated. The community was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the hazards of bears in our neighborhoods, and upset about the number of bears being shot.

Black BearsIn an effort to remedy the situation, local citizens and agencies founded the Revelstoke Bear Management Committee. The goal of the committee was to develop strategies that would reduce bear-human conflicts and the unnecessary destruction of bears. The result was the creation of the Revelstoke Bear Aware Program.

The goal of the Revelstoke Bear Aware Program is to identify and reduce human behaviour that attracts bears to urban areas. The results have been impressive. Before the education program was implemented, an average of 27 bears was killed in Revelstoke each year. Now that average is less than 7. The Revelstoke program was so successful that it served as a model for a province-wide initiative.

In 2003, the non-profit Revelstoke Bear Aware Society was created to formalize the delivery of the the Bear Aware education program in the town and regional district.

A society and a charity

The Revelstoke Bear Aware Society is registered under the provincial Societies Act, #S-48316. We are a registered charitable organization under the federal Income Tax Act.

Revelstoke Bear Aware Community Coordinator

The Revelstoke Bear Aware program is delivered by one part-time paid employee who is responsible for education, fundraising, and program delivery. Janette Vickers is the current Revelstoke Bear Aware Community Coordinator.

2011 Board of Directors

The Revelstoke Bear Aware Society is managed by volunteer Board of Directors:

Loni Parker, President

Ian Brown, Vice-President

Marcia Woods, Secretary

Jackie Morris, Treasurer

Brian Gadbois, Director

Penny Page-Brittin, Director

Annual reports and policies

To view the Society’s Constitution, click here.

To view the Society’s Privacy Policy, click here.