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Penticton 12:39pm - 686 views
Naramata Elementary School students were further recognized Monday morning for their part in helping their community achieve Bear Smart Status this past June.
Insp. Barbara Leslie of the Conservation Officer Service and RDOS director Karla Kozakech were both on hand to recognize the students.
"It was a rewarding event to start to wind down the 2014 RDOS WildSafeBC season," said RDOS WildSafeBC coordinator Zoe Kirk.
Naramata was showered with praise in June for becoming BC's newest Bear Smart Community.
At the time, it was recognized as the sixth in the province to earn the status and the first in the Okanagan.
Over the past five years in BC, an average of 658 black bears have been destroyed each year, while 91 have been relocated due to conflicts with people.
So the Bear Smart Community Program encourages local governments, businesses and individuals to work together to address the root-causes of human-bear conflict, reducing the risks to human safety and private property, as well as the number of bears that have to be destroyed each year.
In Naramata, information on conflict prevention was shared at school presentations, the community market and through door to door awareness.
The community also implemented a comprehensive bear proof municipal waste management system and completed all the additional actions required to obtain the status.
Leslie was particularly impressed, Monday, by the youngsters' 'bear smart' knowledge when they answered questions and demonstrated what to do if you see a bear.
The morning presentation was topped off with Kozakevich and Leslie distributing Robert Bateman stuffed bears to each of the students.
Each classroom now also has a bear, to use as a constant reminder 'mascot'.
Earlier this fall, Bear Smart sculptures were installed at the pump house beside Wharf Park and at Manitou Park to further recognize the community's efforts.
Kirk intends for students to finish the installation by painting on some rocks, vegetation and a creek, under and beside the sculptures.
