Keeping wildlife wild and communities safe is officially a year-round effort on the West Coast.
The region’s WildSafeBC Pacific Rim program has hired its first-ever full-time, year-round community coordinator.
Caitlin Beaudin was named to the position last month in an announcement that touted her as a “seasoned professional dedicated to promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife.”
“With a background in outreach, education and wildlife conservation through her previous work with Parks Canada and extensive knowledge in outdoor recreation, Beaudin brings a wealth of expertise to the program,” the announcement reads. “We are excited to have Caitlin Beaudin join WildSafeBC and extend our heartfelt gratitude to the key stakeholders, regional partners, supporting businesses, and passionate residents who made this achievement possible.”
WildSafeBC was initially founded as the Bear Aware program in 1998 and evolved into its current iteration in 2013 to reflect the broad scope of wildlife it helps to keep safe.
The local program was launched on the West Coast in 2014 and has run seasonally across the region from around April to November annually.
“The decision to establish the first full-time, year-round position reflects WildSafeBC and the Pacific Rim community’s commitment to enhancing educational outreach, strengthening community partnerships, and implementing proactive measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts throughout all seasons,” the announcement reads. “This groundbreaking initiative in Pacific Rim region sets a precedent for future community-focused conservation efforts across the province.”
Current WildSafeBC Pacific Rim coordinator Bob Hansen told the Westerly News that he was thrilled to see Beaudin take the program’s helm.
“In her background she has extensive experience that really matches the work that we do. She’s a really good fit in that regard,” he said. “She’s bringing experience and knowledge of the challenges that we work on and she also brings a passion to the work. She understands what the program is trying to achieve in terms of serving the communities and wildlife.”
Tofino mayor Dan Law is excited to see the program expanding.
“The introduction of a full-time Community Coordinator is a great example of our community’s ongoing commitment to proactive wildlife management,” Law said. “Beaudin’s leadership will certainly strengthen our region’s collective ability to help care for our spectacular Westcoast ecosystem and all its inhabitants.”
The local program has been running for about a decade and has increased local education through a variety of outreach, including school visits, engaging with over 700 students in that time.
“We really appreciate all the educational programming our students have received from WildSafeBC. WildSafeBC has equipped our students with the knowledge of what to do should they encounter wildlife and how to be responsible citizens and keep wildlife and our community safe,” said Wickaninnish Community School teacher Emilie Aujla.
The program has also conducted door-to-door neighbourhood campaigns, hosted over 100 presentations, completed over 50 electric fencing workshops and engaged with both tourists and residents with booths at various markets and public events, the announcement crows.
“The WildSafeBC program is essential for our local community and businesses. By prioritizing the safety of residents, visitors, and wildlife, it significantly reduces the risk of potentially dangerous encounters,” said Pacific Sands Beach Resort General Manager
Sabrina Donovan. “This commitment to safety and conservation supports our thriving community and promotes environmental stewardship, ensuring a sustainable and harmonious coexistence with nature.”
The program has also worked with 20 local businesses through the WildSafeBC Business Pledge.
“Tofino and the surrounding communities are leading the conversation and proactive action to mitigate human impact on our wildlife populations,” said Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce executive director Samantha Hackett. “It is each organization’s responsibility to participate and adapt for now and for our future as it is never-ending. Businesses and organizations within the Pacific Rim are thrilled with the support from WildSafeBC as an essential champion for our network.”
The Wickaninnish Inn is one of the businesses that has taken the pledge and the Inn’s managing director Charles McDiarmid expressed gratitude for the knowledge sharing.
“Bob Hansen and his team at WildSafeBC Pacific Rim have been instrumental in assisting us with our Bear Aware program over the years,” McDiarmid said. “Most recently, with Bob’s direct support, we have completed the installation of several electrified bear-proof enclosures here at the Wickaninnish Inn and at our forest interfacing staff houses so that we can begin full commercial composting including all proteins, which is another new first for our Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere destination.”
In her new full-time role, Beaudin will deliver WildSafeBC presentations, bear spray workshops, the WildSafeBC Business Pledge program, door-to-door education campaigns, WildSafe Ranger Programs in classrooms, and cultivating relationships and collaborating with Indigenous communities and conservation authorities.
“The appointment of Beaudin as our first full-time Community Coordinator marks a truly transformative moment for WildSafeBC,” said WildSafeBC Program Manager Lisa Lopez.
“This advancement allows us to bolster our efforts in educating residents and visitors, engaging with local stakeholders, and implementing sustainable wildlife stewardship strategies year-round.”
The region is coming off a banner year for black bears in 2023 where, for the first time in recent memory, zero black bears were killed due to unnatural food conditioning.
“A year-round WildSafeBC Community Coordinator position will help to ensure consistent practices, reporting, and education across the Pacific Rim region,” said Clayoquot Biosphere trust executive director Rebecca Hurwitz. “Trends, learning, and experience will be shared quickly and efficiently between communities to reduce negative human-wildlife interactions further.”
Ucluelet Campground operations manager Damien Kenyon spoke to the vast improvements the program had made to local attractant management and safety.
“The development of a full-time coordinator is a testament to the incredible success of WildSafeBC’s Bare Campsite Program over the past five years. The dedication, education, and training efforts of individuals like Bob Hansen and previous Coordinators have truly paid off, making a significant impact on how we coexist with wildlife in our area,” Kenyon said.
“At Ucluelet Campground, we’ve seen firsthand the positive effects of WildSafeBC’s initiatives, particularly through our involvement in the creation of the Bare Campsite Program. This program has been instrumental in educating campers and reducing human-wildlife conflicts in our area. With this new full-time position, we anticipate even greater benefits in terms of how we cohabitate with wildlife and keep them wild.”
Dennis Hetu of Toquaht First Nation echoed that sentiment around the program’s impact.
“The community of Macoah is very remote. We used to have bears, wolves, and even cougars, frequent here. Since we have involved our community in the WildSafeBC program, we have had very few encounters within the community,” Hetu said. “We used WildSafeBC’s proven methods and implemented some site-specific hazing procedures, and now we have no issues with bears, wolves, or cougars.”
Hansen suggested year-round operations will help the program find time to work proactively on solutions, rather than reactively when a bear is already showing troubling behaviour.
“Having Beaudin onboard year-round enables us to proactively address emerging wildlife challenges and foster a safer environment for our communities and wildlife,” he said.
