Human - Wildlife Coexistence in the Bow Valley
There is concern among residents, elected officials, and wildlife managers that growth and development in the Bow Valley is leading to more frequent encounters between humans and wildlife.
Reducing the risk to both humans and wildlife requires collaboration between various levels of government, wildlife behaviour experts, and the people that reside in and use the Bow Valley for recreation. No single agency or individual can solve this issue alone.
Throughout the Fall of 2017, Canmore Mayor John Borrowman, Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen, and Banff Cochrane MLA Cameron Westhead brought representatives together from area municipalities, Parks Canada, and the Government of Alberta to form a Roundtable on Human Wildlife Coexistence to focus on processes and options to reduce human-wildlife conflict in the Bow Valley.
On May 31, 2018, the technical working group of stakeholders and subject matter experts released their report. Read the report here: pdf Human Wildlife Coexistence Bow Valley Report (1.72 MB)
The Human-Wildlife Coexistence (HWC) Technical Report is being used by the management organizations in the Bow Valley as a guide to enhance human-wildlife coexistence. Read the pdf status update (1.24 MB) that highlights the work and activities completed up to March 2019.
With collaboration among our partners and stakeholders, the Town of Canmore believes we can: reduce food sources close to areas where there is high human use, implement and enforce temporary area closures when wildlife is present, work together to address issues when wildlife crosses jurisdictional boundaries, increase effectiveness of public education, and designate and enforce areas where wildlife habitat is the primary land use.
Read the 2019 Wildlife Attractant Management Plan
pdf
here
(574 KB)
.
To stay informed about the progress of this initiative, follow us on Facebook or twitter, and watch for progress reports at upcoming council meetings.
Visit www.wildsmart.ca for more information on living smart with wildlife. To watch the 25-minute documentary entitled Living with Wildlife, which takes a realistic look at the challenges and the constant pressures wildlife face, click here.
