Carbondale Commentary
‘Bear Dumb’ in Aspen In late January 2010 a lynx from Colorado made his way almost all the way back to where he came from. In 2003, the lynx had been trapped in Kamloops, British Columbia, and shipped to Colorado as part of the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s (DOW) Lynx Recovery program. Then he was radio collared and released in the San Juan Mountains. After three years of living here he headed for home, rejecting several Colorado girlfriends and leaving several offspring with no male influence in the process. Unfortunately, he got trapped in Nordegg, Alberta, in January after making the dangerous 1,200-mile trip across deserts, highways and ranches. But in any case, he blew away all records for lynx travel. Yes, it’s been a bad spring for wildlife. On April 9, 540-pound Yogi, King of the Dump Bears, gets up from his nice winter nap and gets whacked by four cars on his way back to the dining table at the Pitkin County dump. Meanwhile, the DOW decides to up the hunting permits to reduce the bears breaking into houses in Aspen. Are they going to open up the alleys? If the bear is on private property and you have permission from the owner can you hunt there? Can we hunt at night? Is the season open now? I hear they’re going to create a Bear Aware program in Glenwood and Aspen. Which reminds me of the Bear Aware program I saw work in Revelstoke, British Colombia, just north of my home in Idaho. I know Canada has a lousy health program but they do know how to deal with wildlife. Revelstoke is a lot like Aspen: narrow valley, prime By Birdbrain bear habitat, ski area, lots of new development. They have always had bears. From 1994 to 2003 they killed 24 bears a year. But the public had finally had enough after one year when 63 bears were killed or relocated. Once up and running the Revelstoke Bear Aware program cut bear responses from 162 to 34 in its first year. Provincial politicians got pissed, towns weren’t enacting or enforcing bear ordinances, they increased the powers of the Conservation officers. British Columbian conservation officers can write citations to anyone who leaves out garbage, waste, food or compost. Fines go to $50,000 and up to six months in jail. They don’t write many because towns have finally enforced their own regulations. Revelstoke now averages about five dead bears a year. Colorado DOW officers can write a $68 ticket. Pitkin County has a fearsome fine schedule running from $250 for the first violation to $999 for multiple chances to solve the problem. Last year, PitCo and the Aspen PD combined had 601 contacts with bears dining in Aspen. But the powers that be wrote just 20 tickets. In Canada, if the bear shows up at your house you’re guilty of drawing him there – not in Aspen. So to help pay the bills, maybe the DOW will get some new laws. It estimated it spent $200,000 last year dealing with Aspen’s bears. DOW brought in extra personnel. The Aspen DOW officer, Kevin Wright, says he spends 90 percent of his time from June to October dealing with bears and homeowners. I think he should be doing something for hunters and fishermen not sloppy homeowners. In a time of short budgets that’s going to get some attention. Why should hunters’ license fees be used so that DOW can pack your trash? To be successful in living with bears you have to create what Canada calls “Bear Smart Communities.” Bear Smart Communities must: • Prepare a bear hazard assessment of the community and the surrounding area; • Prepare a bear/human conflict management plan that is designed to address the bear hazards and land-use conflicts identified in the previous step; • Revise planning and decision-making documents to be consistent with the bear/human conflict management plan; • Implement a continuing education program directed at all sectors of the community; • Develop and maintain a bear-proof municipal solid waste management system; • Implement “bear smart” bylaws prohibiting the provision of food to bears as a result of intent, neglect, or irresponsible management of attractants. It’s a start. Right now I would call Aspen “Bear Dumb.” Forty bears died last year but only 20 tickets? Do you have to kill 60 bears to wake up? Deal with your trash. Lock your doors and windows. Write tickets. Violators should be “volunteered” to serve on Bear Aware squads and buy a bear-proof Dumpster for a needy family.
Cantankerous caterwaulings
2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • MAY 6, 2010
In Canada, if the bear shows up at your house you’re guilty of drawing him there – not in Aspen.
Laurie Guevara-Stone, Patrick Johnson (center) and Jeff Dickinson recently took in a little revolutionary, non-profit media in the José Marti Anti-Imperialism plaza in Havana, Cuba. Courtesy photo
Letters
The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 400 words. Letters exceeding that length may be edited or returned for revisions. Include your name and residence (for publication) and a contact email and phone number. Submit letters via email to letters@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623.
5Point heroes? Dear Editor: I was listening to the KDNK interview with the founder of the 5Point Film Festival when I heard her say, “our climbing and kayaking heroes.” I like the five points, but heroes? I see heroes a bit differently. Humility: Mother Teresa ministering to the diseased and destitute for nearly 50 years. Purpose: Gandhi marching for 23 days across India to make salt. Commitment: A tiny man standing in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square. Respect: Wangari Maathai helping women plant over 20 million trees. Balance: Nelson Mandela maintaining a sense of compassion and brotherhood during 27 years of imprisonment. Go see the films; I’m sure they are exhilarating. But if you want to see some local heroes, don’t look for the guy dropping off of the 186-foot waterfall. Instead, take a peek in a middle school classroom; or talk to the director of Lift Up; or visit the child abuse help center in Glenwood. Heroes? We have plenty of them, but let’s keep some perspective. Jose Alcantara, rock climber Carbondale
The missing ink Dear Editor: Jim Duke’s guest editorial reminds me that a DEIS was made on the Rio Grande Trail. I could never get any information on this environmental assessment that seems to have taken over a year and near $1 million to produce. The valley rail promoters were unable to show me any proof that a DEIS was ever made. My interest was to see if they had followed my suggestions on making an environmental inventory of the
trail. This could have been done by various volunteer groups using maps, GPS, sound recorders, notebooks and cameras. Groups to be used started with: Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, the Audubon Society, the LETTERS page 21
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