Finding solutions to address problem bears was at the top of the list when the Sitka Assembly and the Sheet’ká Ḵwáan Sitka Tribe of Alaska met on Monday (11-18-24) for the bi-annual government to government meeting.
View the full meeting agenda here
Sitka has seen an uptick in bear calls over the last few years, starting in 2021 when a record 14 bears were put down either by law enforcement or homeowners in defense of life or property. One bear was struck by a car. In response, the city re-established a “bear task force” which recommended bear resistant trash cans as one possible solution to the problem. The number of dispatched bears has dipped since then, but calls about bears getting into garbage haven’t.
Most recently, in October, several residents of the Indian River Road neighborhood were fined $320 each by the Alaska Wildlife Troopers for unlawfully feeding game, when bears got into their garbage cans. Tribal Council members voiced concern that the neighborhood was being unfairly targeted by law enforcement, who they believe should prioritize the citizens over bears. Council members proposed that the city partner with Fish & Wildlife to put down any bears that come into residential areas in Sitka. Outgoing Tribal Council member Lillian Feldpausch called for the two governments to find a solution.
“It’s frustrating to hear that our tribal citizens are complaining that the bears are trying to get into the door, their door into their sheds where we’re supposed to keep our garbage,” Feldpausch said. “It’s really tough that they’re breaking these doors down, and we’re asked to keep our garbage with our traditional foods. And sometimes this is all they have.”
Generally, recommendations to keep problem bears at bay start with garbage handling— keep garbage inside until pickup day, often in a garage or freezer. But not everyone has a garage or a space to store a week’s worth of garbage. Tribal Chair-elect Yeidikook’áa Dionne Brady Howard said it’s an issue of equity, and said it should be as easy as possible for people in the “bear heaviest” areas to get rid of their trash.
“Have we made every effort to see what kinds of trash cans we could invest in, in at least the bear heavy areas?” she asked. “The park has bears come through all the time, and they have those big metal structures. Well, it doesn’t sound practical or fun, but it might be necessary after a point.”
“There is such thing as a bear-proof can, but it just means that we would have to be willing to spend that money,” she said.
The two governments spent a little under an hour brainstorming solutions, like a central location for garbage, more frequent trash pickups, or installing trash compactors in Baranof Island Housing Authority rental units. Several noted that the transfer station used to accept “bear garbage” over the monthly allocated 200 pounds of trash Sitkans are allowed to drop off for free. Municipal Administrator John Leach said that was never officially a program, though over time it became practice to accept “bear trash” at the transfer station. Leach said that he liked the idea of increasing trash pickups in high traffic areas.
“I think there’s some opportunity to explore some efficiencies. I mean, I don’t know how many people take advantage of the 200 pounds free per-month, but that was literally established for bear trash,” Leach said. “Maybe there’s a way to give up the 200 free [pounds] and increase pickup. If there’s a community appetite for that, we can see how that pencils out too.”
Dispatching problem bears, however, falls under the state’s jurisdiction. Leach said wildlife troopers can request assistance with putting down a bear, but local police aren’t supposed to dispatch a bear without direction from the state.
Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz said recent data from the police department showed over the last two years the amount of bear calls had gone up, but that tickets issued by SPD overall, and in the neighborhood, had gone down. Addressing the state’s policy on wildlife fines was trickier. Eiesnbeisz suggested the Tribe and City could approach the state together.
“I think a joint resolution of the Council and the Assembly to the state asking for specific actions with bears that are a nuisance or are intended to become a nuisance, that opens the conversation,” he said. “I mean, I think it’s powerful that we as an entire community want to deal with the issue.”
Bears weren’t the only thing on the agenda, but the groups spent a little under an hour discussing them. The Tribal Council also requested the city install speed bumps on Katlian Street to slow traffic, and collaborate with them in cleaning up DaGinaa Hít, the clan house that has fallen on Katlian Street. And the Council joined the city in advocating that the state close the Katlian Bay Road for the winter.
