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General News · 2nd August 2021
FOCI - Sabina Leader Mense
Friends of Cortes Island Society (FOCI), is reaching out to the Cortes community with another friendly reminder that... Cortes Island IS black bear country and we can expect the return of black bears this fall, 2021, when their need to bulk up for the winter brings them back to Cortes Island.

PROACTIVE measures to... “secure all attractants”, will serve us well in reducing conflict with black bears. Please review our 5-point bear primer attached below and posted throughout the community in public places, to ensure you have everything on hand and in place to support these efforts.

Last year we learned that electric fencing is the ONLY effective fencing to secure attractants from bears. FOCI produced a short electric fencing tutorial video that is on our website; please check it out and take advantage of the 10% savings on electric fencing supplies at Black Creek Farm & Feed who have partnered with FOCI to support our Wildlife COEXistence Program.
Consider fencing your outside freezers, compost, favourite fruit trees and livestock.

Vegetable and food wastes are our next focus. It is essential to keep food waste OUT of our garbage, as garbage is the #1 attractant for black bears. To that end, FOCI is working towards providing bear resistant community composting facilities in Whaletown and Squirrel Cove if/when black bears are active on Cortes during the fall, 2021.
Tamias Nettle and Melissa Rickey are offering BOKASHI composting workshops later this summer to assist folks in improving their composting techniques and reducing the smell of their composting materials; stay tuned to Tideline for dates.

Several local folks had great success last year with a spare radio turned on in the yard, 24/7, to keep bears wary; a small investment with a great gain!
The key to success is to proactively prevent any engagement with black bears from the outset.

E-mail friendsofcortesgmail.com to sign up for the electric fencing savings and with any questions or suggestions you may have. We are happy to provide site visits to assist you.

THANK YOU for proactively working together with FOCI to reduce conflict with black bears on Cortes Island, in the true spirit of COEXistence!!