Silver Star Bear Stewardship
Join Our Cause
Together, we can make a difference in reducing human-bear conflict in the North Okanagan.
Silver Star is bear country, and unfortunately hundreds of bears are killed each year across the province due to human-bear conflict. The Silver Star Bear Stewardship Society is committed to changing that. Our group is made up of passionate locals and nature lovers who are dedicated to making a real difference—whether it's keeping bears safe, educating the community, or finding ways to reduce human-bear conflict. Together, we can make our beautiful home a safer place for both people and wildlife.
Our Story
Our story is a simple one. We came together to bring attention to black bears and human-bear conflict in our community. Our society agrees that we must do everything we can to keep black bears safe in our region so they do not meet an unnecessary death from conflict.
We focus on education and conflict prevention and we work to reduce and eliminate bear attractants when possible. When it is not possible, we will work with community members to secure these attractants to make them bear proof.
We are a volunteer society, represented by community members, businesses and not for profit organizations. We are passionate, inclusive, and collaborative, and "complacency" is not in our vocabulary
Events
Check Back Later
June 2025
Join us at Silver Star for a bear spray training session this summer to get comfortable using this great tool when out camping or hiking in bear country.
Our Projects
We focus on impactful projects that protect bears and promote harmony between humans and wildlife. From organizing Bear Spray Awareness Days to creating an interactive bear trail and tracking local bear behavior, we’re always looking for ways to reduce conflict and keep our furry friends safe. Every project brings the community together to make Silver Star a safer place for everyone—bears included.
Paula Wallis
Safety and Education
Our community-focused efforts are all about promoting bear safety and minimizing human-bear conflicts. We work to "bearproof" our area by advocating for wildlife attractant bylaws and educating residents on bear-safe practices. Other activities include distributing door hangers, adding informational cards in campgrounds, placing large bear cutouts around the community, and engaging with schools and social media. This summer, we launched Bear Awareness and Bear Spray Training Days in partnership with WildSafe BC. These free workshops, led by our dedicated volunteers, provide essential skills—from recognizing bear behaviors to safely using bear spray.
Interpretive Trail
Working with local partners, we’ve created an Interpretive Trail around Brewers Pond at Silver Star. This engaging loop features seven unique bear sculptures created by well-known artists from BC, and educational signs about bear behavior and safety. Meet Scrapper, a dancing bear made entirely from repurposed materials, and stop by the Rub Tree to learn how bears communicate. This trail aims to teach visitors and locals about our bears while fostering respect and understanding for wildlife.
Bear Tracking Initiative
Our tracking initiative collects valuable data on bear sightings in the area to help us and our partners make informed decisions about managing bear attractants, waste collection, and habitat use. Over the past two years, we’ve documented hundreds of bear sightings, and we share this information with local wildlife conservation groups to advocate for our bears' well-being and safe coexistence.
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Our Partners
The Silver Star Bear Stewardship Society is proudly supported by:
