Holley by the Sea to retrofit trash cans, deter bears

NAVARRE — Most black bear sightings in Santa Rosa County reportedly occur in the southern area between Gulf Breeze and Navarre. With that in mind, the Holley by the Sea community applied for and received BearWise funding from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, along with nine other communities, to make its 3,700 trash cans bear resistant.

“In Santa Rosa County, the higher-quality bear habitat tends to be along the borders of Eglin Air Force Base, which is also where there is a fair amount of housing developments,” said David Telesco, who leads the FWC’s Bear Management Program.

Rising concern over dangers of human-bear interactions as well as the potential for monetary help from the FWC, led the county to adopt a BearWise ordinance. It essentially states that all Santa Rosa County residents in unincorporated areas south and west of Eglin Air Force Base must keep their garbage secure from bears and other wildlife, either through the use of a bear-resistant can or by storing garbage in an enclosed area until 6 a.m the day of collection.

“Feeding on garbage is the main reason why Florida black bears appear in neighborhoods,” said Telesco. “This funding will make it easier for people to secure their trash, keeping both people and bears safe.”

The FWC requires a county have a proactive ordinance to prevent human-bear interactions to qualify for BearWise funding. 

"The biggest cause of bear-human interaction is when all meet at the garbage can," Holley by the Sea Vice President Tom Beckman said. "So isolating the bears from the waste is a way to keep bears in their natural habitat and largely away from humans."

HBTS is experiencing a growth spurt, according to Beckman, and expects to see 1,000 more lots developed.

"So this problem will escalate if we don’t do something," he said.

Some county commissioners have favored a bear hunt, but this wouldn’t work for the HBTS area due to residents living so close to one another.

"(Hunting) is not really compatible with our topography," Beckman said. "A bullet goes a long way."

HBTS received $65,000 of the $515,283 FWC awarded to Seminole, Lake, Volusia, Highlands, Orange, Walton and Franklin counties and Air Force Enlisted Village in Okaloosa County. HBTS has to provide 10 percent, which it can do in payment or with an in-kind contribution.

Still, making these changes to the cans will take some time.

"The simple fact you put (the equipment on the cans) yourself is billable as in-kind work," Beckman said. "We’re waiting on state instructions. They will buy us the hardware and give it to us and we’ll put it on…There won’t be 3,700 cans fixed overnight. How long it takes is a product of how effective we are.

"We’re looking for a better part of the work to be done by the residents and have maintenance (install the equipment) if residents have difficulty or can’t."

The FWC advises residents to test their cans before retrofitting them.

"Before modifying your trash can, test it," material from MyFWC.com/Bear says. "Turn it on its side and stand on it.

"If the can collapses or the lid bends easily, it will not keep a bear out regardless of modifications."

THE ISSUE: Since the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission began recording publicly reported black bear sightings, Holley by the Sea in Navarre has had roughly 70 bear sightings, which can include multiple bears. 

LOCAL IMPACT: Concern over potential danger of human-bear interaction has led to action. With the required Santa Rosa County bear safety ordinance in place, Holley by the Sea applied for and received a $65,000 grant from FWC to make its 3,700 trash cans bear-resistant. Now it's up to residents to retrofit their own garbage cans. 

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Holley by the Sea to retrofit trash cans, deter bears