Grizzly bear activity forces additional trail closures
By Nelson Daily Editor
The Bruins aren’t only active in the Stanley Cup playoffs, they are regular residents of the outskirts of Nelson these days.
In response, the regional district has closed the Nelson-Salmo Great Northern trail from Cottonwood Lake on Highway 6 to the Apex/Busk area and on to Hall Siding until further notice.
“The closure is required to prevent encounters with grizzly bears which frequent the area this time of the year,” said regional district general manager of Community Services, Joe Chirico.
This closure is in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation Officer Service and Wildlife Section and the Nelson City Police, Chirico said.
Grizzly bear activity had closed one road and two trails in Nelson on Monday.
Two bears have appeared already this spring in the Rosemont and Uphill areas, as well as on the trails surrounding the city.
The City closed some areas around the Nelson Cemetery — including Stanley Street Trail, Mountain Station Burlington Northern Trail and the Highway 6 Nelson Cemetery access road — to public access “until further notice.”
In 2010 there were five grizzly bears and several black bears in the city, with 27 calls to conservation officers concerning black bears, and 31 concerning grizzly bears.
The five grizzly bears were relocated but eight black bears were destroyed.
“Please do not attempt to view or approach the bears,” said Chirico. “Bears that learn to approach people, or are approached by people, may be destroyed as a result of an encounter that may become dangerous.”
Check out www.bearaware.bc.ca for further information on reducing conflicts between bears and people.
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See also
• The bears are back in Nelson
• Grizzly problem in South Nelson
• City needs to reduce attractants for bears
