Bear Matters BC

Olympic committee to contribute to bear study Clare Ogilvie, The Province

Published: Friday, June 08, 2007

WHISTLER — Olympic organizers have decided to partially fund a grizzly-bear study in the Callaghan Valley near the site of the Nordic competition venue.

“VANOC agreed that more research would be beneficial and agreed to contribute funding to [the Ministry of the Environment] and others to develop a regional Sea-to-Sky grizzly bear research program,” said George McKay, Vanoc’s director of environmental approvals.

But the $33,000 a year Vanoc is offering falls short of the $100,000 a year the ministry had requested last month for the study.

The concern is that the proposed recreational legacy trails, due to be built this summer in the Callaghan, will disturb grizzly habitat.

Initial investigations by Vanoc suggested the legacy trails would have only a minor impact on grizzlies.

But ministry research suggested there was a female and her cubs in the area and the impact could be more serious.

It hoped the new study would help shed light on the issue.

Details of the financial support are contained in Vanoc’s June 4 response to the provincial Environmental Assessment Office. Vanoc will also implement a bear-management plan that emphasizes staff training, public education, garbage management, and other protection measures.

Olympic organizers are proceeding on the assumption that construction of the legacy trails will go ahead this summer, said John Eastman, Vanoc’s vice-president of venue construction.

clareogilvie@telus.net

© The Vancouver Province 2007