Black bears outsmart trial green bin locks in Lake Echo
Posted Sep 1, 2020 08:54:00 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A trial green bin lock program wasn't successful at keeping black bears out of the neighbourhood, according to the local councillor.
The Halifax Regional Municipality and Nova Scotia's Department of Lands and Forestry teamed up earlier this year, and installed locks on some green bins in a Lake Echo trailer park.
The program was launched with the aim of decreasing interaction between Mountainview Estates residents and black bear visitors. In recent years, the bears have developed a palate for the organics disposed of in green bins which both makes a mess, and causes fear among locals.
Councillor David Hendsbee says something needs to be done, but the locks used in the trial program, aren't the answer.
“They've been popping them open, so we have to review and see if this is an adequate locking device or if there is another device we could try,” he tells News 95.7's the Rick Howe Show.
Hendsbee calls the green bins 'bear smorgasbords,' and recognizes there is no quick fix.
“We may have to go and bear-proof containers that people may have to bring their green cart down to a particular centralized bin where they can dump their green carts,” he says. “These are the things we have to analyze and evaluate.”
Hendsbee says he will be meeting Wednesday with Lands and Forestry to discuss feedback from the trailer park residents regarding the trial locks.
Due to budget considerations related to the economic impact of COVID-19, the weekly green bin summer collection program was suspended for 2020. Organics have been collected every two weeks.
