Project Title: Clam Lake Project
Conservation Initiative Addressed: Bear Conservation and Conservation Education
Special Program: Adopt-a-Dumpster Program
Location: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin
Collaborators: US Forest Service, the Department of Natural Resources, National Wildlife Federation, and a wonderful charitable foundation that wishes to remain anonymous
Project Duration: 2007-2010
Overview of the Clam Lake Project:
Bear Trust has collaborated with the US Forest Service, the Department of Natural Resources, and the National Wildlife Federation to develop the Adopt-a-Dumpster Project in Wisconsin. Because the Clam Lake area in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has been identified as an area where black bear nuisance incidents are on the rise, Bear Trust selected this area for the Adopt-a-Dumpster Demonstration Project.
Project Update:
In August 2007, Bear Trust implemented the first phase of the Clam Lake Project by installing eleven 3-yard wildlife-resistant dumpsters at the Clam Lake area. We held a dedication ceremony during August to celebrate!
To make this area fully bear-resistant, Bear Trust is in need of raising funds to purchase an additional eight 4-yard wildlife-resistant dumpsters and twelve 32-gallon wildlife-resistant containers.
Education Component of the Adopt-a-Dumpster Program:
Bear Trust is deeply committed to education. One goal of the Bath County Project is to educate children by engaging them with innovative education opportunities. The Bath County Project falls under Bear Trust’s larger Adopt-a-Dumpster Program, which incorporates Education Programs whenever possible. As part of our project in Bath County, we will provide free Education Program to children in grades K-12. The programs build on wild bear research that Bear Trust is conducting in New Jersey.
Clam Lake Project Goals:
By installing wildlife-resistant dumpsters in the Clam Lake area, the Adopt-a-Dumpster Demonstration Project will meet the following objectives: 1) increase human safety by decreasing the frequency of wildlife-human conflicts, 2) increase the probability of bear survival by decreasing the number of bears that become habituated to humans, 3) promote a sound wildlife management strategy in which everyone can participate, 4) provide novel education opportunities to children, and, 5) provide an example of how a wildlife-resistant dumpster program can work for other regions and locales.
Press Release:
To view a Press Release announcing the Dedication Ceremony that took place in Clam Lake on August 1, 2007 CLICK HERE
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