Advocates for the North Shore’s black bears are warning illegal dumping is putting Indian Arm’s ursines at risk.
The Woodlands neighbourhood, which envelopes Deep Cove and stretches along Indian River Drive, has no garbage pickup so residents use – or misuse - lockable dumpsters.
“People are misusing this and attracting wildlife. It’s costing a lot of money to maintain it and there might be a better way to manage the household waste from the Woodlands area,” said Christine Miller, president of the North Shore Black Bear Society.
On at least two recent occasions, a Black Bear Society volunteer spotted dog food and birdseed dumped outside the bins. Miller said she didn’t know for a fact if it was deliberate or an accidental spill, but she added, it is suspicious.
“We know that there’s illegal dumping. We know that there’s food on the ground,” she said. “It’s stinky around there and it’s messy, and I don’t know what the options are for the municipality.”
More broadly, Miller said she worried the bins were acting as a beacon for bears up Indian Arm, drawing them within nose-shot of Deep Cove, where they are more likely to end up in conflict with humans.
“That’s been happening for years, in our opinion,” she said.
John Leyland, the local ratepayers’ association’s spokesman for garbage issues, said he was skeptical about whether the bins were drawing bears.
“I’ve been driving that road for 71 years,” said Leland, who grew up in the area. “I have rarely seen black bear scat or black bears in all that time.”
Leyland said he had not seen any dog food or birdseed strewn about, but he said Woodlands residents are frustrated by the site being treated as a destination by illegal dumpers.
“People not only locally but outside of our neighbourhood … come and often just throw stuff behind the cans. They don’t even worry about getting it in there. And they drop off television sets, beds, chesterfields, garden furniture. You name it. It’s embarrassing,” he said.
Leyland said he’s taken the matter up with Mayor Mike Little and asked for, at the very least, better signs that specify what can and cannot be dumped there.
In a statement, district spokeswoman Mairi Welman said the municipality has been trying for years to keep the site clean.
“The district is aware of the ongoing problems in this area and visits the site five days a week to monitor the situation and help keep it clean. We have also posted signage next to the dumpsters and provided information to area residents about how to correctly dispose of garbage, organics and recycling so as to not attract wildlife,” she said. “We encourage residents in the area to keep an eye out for unusual activity and report any signs of illegal dumping to our bylaw enforcement staff. With the North Shore wilderness in our backyards, it’s important that everyone in our community is aware of the dangers of improperly disposing of garbage and organics and the impact this has on wildlife. Due to our proximity to the wilderness areas, we bear a special responsibility to ensure we are not placing wildlife in danger through our own behaviour.”
