By Mary O’KEEFE

On Tuesday evening a “Bear Aware” meeting was held virtually for area residents who are concerned about bears that have been roaming neighborhood streets. Most wanted to learn what can be done to help wildlife and humans coexist.

Local community activist Kim Mattersteig began planning the meeting after seeing overturned garbage cans and a very large bear on her Olive Avenue street. She reached out to the office of Supervisor Kathryn Barger, which formally organized the virtual bear meeting.

Mattersteig’s concern was not only for the safety of her neighborhood but also for the bear/bears as they become bolder and more comfortable eating from garbage cans rather than hunting naturally.

One of the easiest ways to be proactive in protecting neighborhoods and wildlife is to have bear locking carts, or garbage cans. Steve Milewski, senior civil engineer for the LA County of Dept. of Public Works, shared a presentation on bear carts that will be available in the coming weeks through Burrtec, the trash pickup service in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County/La Crescenta. The normal $9 monthly charge by Burrtec will be paid by LA County for residents in its La Crescenta area. The carts are recommended for residents who live near the Angeles National Forest but are available for all La Crescenta residents.

The new bear carts have yet to arrive at Burrtec but are expected soon. The carts are designed with a mechanism that allows the containers to be easily opened by people but prevents bears from opening the can whether through the use of claws, paws or teeth.

“It was initially anticipated that we would finish the agreement [with Burrtec] by Dec. 1,” Milewski said.

But those negotiations were not completed until just recently thereby delaying the date for delivery.

Initially there was confusion by Burrtec employees when residents called the company to order the carts but now it appears that everyone, including operators at Burrtec, is familiar with the program.

“[Burrtec] customer service people should be a little more educated starting [Wednesday],” Milewski added.

Though the carts are not ready for delivery residents can order them now with an expected delivery date in January when they are expected to arrive at the Burrtec plant.

Milewski added the cans are tested in the field by filling them with food and seeing if bears can tear into them. So far they have proven to be pretty much bearproof.

Burrtec will provide bear-resistant carts upon request and the carts will be provided free to La Crescenta residents.

“These carts are the property of Burrtec not the resident,” he reminded.

In the future, the departments of Public Works, Angeles National Forest and California Fish and Wildlife will work together to create “bear zones” where it will be mandatory to use the bear-resistant carts.

Rebecca Barboza, wildlife biologist with the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, spoke at the meeting about the nature of bears. She explained that the bear population in California is growing and that Fish and Wildlife is a steward agency for wildlife. The agency can take reports on sightings, property damage and incidents involving wildlife.

Despite the color of a bear’s fur – there are many different colors ranging from black to light auburn and even, although rare, white fur – all California bears are American black bears. The grizzly bear has not been in California since 1922.

Bears breed in early summer; the number of baby bears born is directly related to the amount of reserved food (fat) the female bear has at the time of conception. With sufficient fat reserves a female bear can birth two to five cubs.

Human food sources can increase the local bear population.

“Bears are generally vegetarian,” Barboza added.

But they are omnivorous and will eat almost anything, and everything, she said. Bears also travel and have been documented to travel more than 100 miles.

They fatten in the fall, hence the dining in garbage cans recently. They normally eat and then return to the forest but sometimes get so used to eating in the neighborhoods they continue to return over and over again.

Barboza referred to Meatball, the local bear that appeared in the area in 2011. Despite being repeatedly returned to the forest by Fish and Wildlife, he would return to local neighborhoods. Ultimately he was transferred to an animal facility. Although the facility is nice it is still not the wild.