Sooke Bear-Safe Waste Management Plan Prepared for: Sam Webb of Wild Wise Sooke Prepared by: Maggie Mahony, Jordan Ormshaw, Paige Thurston, Kayla Harris BSc Environmental Science Royal Roads University 2019 2 2 3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 6 Glossary of Terms ............................................................................................................................ 7 Terminology .................................................................................................................................. 7 Abbreviations and Acronyms..................................................................................................... 8 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1 Scope ....................................................................................................................................... 9 1.2 Purpose ................................................................................................................................... 9 1.3 Goals........................................................................................................................................ 9 1.4 Background............................................................................................................................. 9 2.0 Research Methods ................................................................................................................... 14 2.1 Review of Documents ........................................................................................................ 14 2.2 Interviews ............................................................................................................................. 14 2.3 Surveys .................................................................................................................................. 14 3.0 Findings ..................................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Survey Results ...................................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Current Waste Management Practices in Sooke ............................................................. 18 3.3 Past and Present Initiatives Towards Bear-Safe Waste Management .......................... 22 3.4 Public Education ................................................................................................................. 22 3.5 Enforcement ........................................................................................................................ 25 3.6 Public Involvement and Approval of Plan ...................................................................... 31 3.7 Case Studies .......................................................................................................................... 31 3.8 Bear-Resistant Bins.............................................................................................................. 33 4.0 Residential Waste Management Tools .................................................................................. 35 4 4 4.1 Increasing Public Education .............................................................................................. 35 4.2 Addition of Bear Specific Bylaws in Sooke ..................................................................... 37 4.3 Increased Enforcement of Bylaws .................................................................................... 40 4.4 Change from Private to Municipal Waste Management ................................................ 41 4.5 Bear-Resistant Bins for Curbside Pickup ......................................................................... 43 4.6 Centralized Waste Pick-Up Locations (Transfer Stations) ............................................ 46 4.7 Neighborhood Bear-Proof Bins ........................................................................................ 48 4.8 Use of a Waste Management Mobile App ....................................................................... 50 4.9 Pursue Bear Smart Status ................................................................................................... 51 5.0 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 53 5.1 Plan 1: Secure Locations Required .................................................................................... 53 5.2 Plan 2: Neighbourhood Bear-Proof Bins ......................................................................... 57 5.3 Markers of Success .............................................................................................................. 60 6.0 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 62 9.0 Appendices ............................................................................................................................... 64 Appendix I: Survey Results ...................................................................................................... 64 Appendix II ...............................................................................................................................116 Endnotes ...................................................................................................................................117 5 Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge the numerous individuals who helped to shape this report. We greatly benefitted from their knowledge and advice and appreciate the time they took to assist us. We would first like to thank our supervisor, Dr. Jonathan Moran, for his guidance, support, and humour throughout this project. We would like to thank District of Sooke staff for helping us to gain a better understanding of Sooke, its residents, and the unique challenges this community faces. Deepest thanks to Sooke Bylaw Enforcement Officer Medea Mills for her time and thoughtful insights on Sooke and bylaw enforcement. Thanks to Councillor Jeff Bateman for his insights on this topic, and for his continued support of wildlife-human conflict reduction. For sharing her expertise in helping communities like Sooke work towards bear-safety, we would like to thanks Crystal McMillan of Bear Smart BC Consulting. Thanks also to Joanna Klees van Bommel for sharing findings from her research with us, and for sharing her wonderful photos with us. We would also like to thank Conservation Officers Rick Dekelver, Peter Pauwels, and Daniel Eichstadter their time and knowledge on wildlife conflict and conflict reduction. Additional thanks to Human-Wildlife Conflict Manager Mike Badry for his expert advice on this subject. Many thanks to both Sooke Disposal Ltd. and Alpine Disposal and Recycling representatives for their time and willingness to share with us. Special thanks to Deb Read for her invaluable insights and for her years of dedication to this topic and to reducing human-wildlife conflict in Sooke. Finally, we would like to thank our sponsor, Samantha Webb of Wild Wise Sooke, for her contributions to this project and her commitment to championship for wildlife in Sooke. 6 6 Executive Summary Residential waste has been identified as a primary attractant for bears in the District of Sooke. In the interest of both public safety and wildlife conservation, this issue bears consideration. Previous reports written by Royal Roads University students with the support of Wild Wise Sooke have identified the need for a bear-safe waste management plan. This report investigates and presents the best waste management options for Sooke. Interviews with District of Sooke staff, wildlife experts, Conservations Officers, and waste disposal companies were conducted to gain insight on Sooke, bear-waste conditioning, and waste management practices. A survey was conducted among Sooke residents to assess the current situation, gain insight into resident opinions regarding potential solutions, and to ensure that the recommendations made by this report would be accepted by the community. In addition to this, research was conducted into other communities in BC and their waste management practices. Based on suggestions from interviewees and research into other communities, a number of waste management tools were thoroughly investigated. An analysis of the efficacy, costs, logistics of implementation, and resident opinion for each tool was conducted. Having weighed the merits of the various tools available, two potential bear-safe waste management plans were developed for the District of Sooke. Plan 1 requires residents to store their waste in secure locations or to use a bear-resistant bin. This plan would incorporate a waste-related bylaw requiring residents to store waste securely. This plan would also require the purchase and distribution of bear-resistant bins by the District to those residents without a secure location to store waste. Plan 2 would see the implementation and use of neighbourhood bear-proof bins in Sooke, which would involve a shift from privatized waste collection services to a municipal waste