Urban Wildlife Management Plan
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Bear and Mountain Lion Component of the Urban Wildlife PlanOn Oct. 18, 2011, City Council adopted the Bear and Mountain Lion Component of the Urban Wildlife Plan. Adaptive Management Approach
The Bear and Mountain Lion Component of the Urban Wildlife Plan aims to address the issue of bears accessing trash through an adaptive management approach. This approach involves working with the community, monitoring behavior and proposing next steps based on results. The adaptive management approach recognizes that a new regulation requiring bear-resistant containers may not be supported by the community at this time due to increased costs, and lack of awareness and community consensus about the severity of the problem. This plan provides the city with the opportunity to increase public awareness of urban bear issues and gives the community opportunities to take voluntary action toward reducing attractants. City staff will evaluate both alternative methods and the community's reaction to securing trash from bears. This plan has a three-year monitoring and evaluation cycle, which includes these steps: Step 1: Build community education and awareness (2012-2013). Urban Black Bear Education and Enforcement Project
Step 2: Evaluate the management approach (2012-2013). See the 2012 final reports for:
Step 3: Make changes to the approach based on the evaluation results (2014).
Urban Black Bear Education and Enforcement ProjectLatest NewsSee the 2012 Next StepsIn 2013, the city and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife will continue the Black Bear Education and Enforcement Pilot Program before making any policy recommendations in 2014. Project OverviewThe City of Boulder and Colorado Parks and Wildlife have partnered to increase community education and awareness by enhancing education and law enforcement in an area of the city that experiences high bear activity. This pilot program will add law enforcement as a strategy to reduce bear attractants and help change the human behaviors that invite bears into town. The purpose of this pilot partnership is to explore the effectiveness of education and law enforcement in improving the way trash is stored in an area of Boulder that experiences frequent human-bear conflicts. Education Efforts Residents were provided with information about the program and printed literature about bear activity, attractants and how to properly store trash. A public meeting was held on April 30, 2012. In September 2012, a final mailing was sent to each residence in the pilot area. Education Resources
Enforcement of Trash Storage CodesState law and city code prohibit storing trash in a way that makes it accessible to bears. As part of the pilot program, the city is increasing the enforcement of codes that require trash to be stored in a way that is not accessible to bears. If you set out your trash for curbside pickup before 5 a.m. the morning of collection (B.R.C. 6-3-5(a)(9)), or your trash is scattered by a bear (B.R.C. 6-3-5(a)(1)), you are subject to a $100 summons for your first offense. Repeated violations will increase the fine amount. The maximum fine for a second conviction (within two years of the first violation) is $500. The maximum fine for a third and each subsequent conviction (within two years of the first violation) is $1,000. Project Area: Approximately 600 residences west of 9th Street, north of Baseline Road and south of Pleasant Street. View a map.
Learn about the Bear and Mountain Lion Component of the Urban Wildlife Plan and its Adaptive Management Approach. Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 May 2013 11:11 |
The Black Bear Education and Enforcement Pilot Program