South Lake Tahoe nonprofit pushing forward idea for city to become a bear sanctuary

By Conor McGill

Could South Lake Tahoe soon be known not just for its stunning views, but as a sanctuary city for bears? It’s an idea that’s gaining traction among some residents and local wildlife advocates.

During a recent city council meeting, South Lake Tahoe resident Erik Asbury floated the idea during public comment, suggesting the city formally declare itself a sanctuary for bears.

“I was going to continue further dialogue, maybe creating a sanctuary city for the bears,” Asbury said. “Since we already have the bears, maybe we can create a situation where the bears can misbehave here and there, maybe get some honey from the cabinet and we go ahead and punish the people that allow them to get in the cabinets.”

The proposal caught the attention of the BEAR League, a local nonprofit dedicated to keeping bears safe and reducing human-wildlife conflict. The organization has since written a formal proclamation asking the city to declare South Lake Tahoe a bear sanctuary city.

“This puts the issue on the map,” said Dave Fleishman with the BEAR League. “It puts it in the forefront of people’s minds about, ‘Hey, this is an important aspect of South Lake Tahoe.’ People come from all over the world to see the bears here.”

The proposed declaration outlines several key goals, such as protecting bears from lethal management methods, committing the city to non-lethal solutions, educating residents and visitors about coexistence and holding people accountable when they fail to secure trash or food.

Fleishman says enforcing fines for repeat offenders who leave garbage accessible could be part of the solution.

“If you have people who habitually flaunt that and leave garbage bags out next to the can, those are situations where a letter from the city or, in serious cases, fines would be appropriate,” he said.

The BEAR League’s research shows this move would be a first of its kind.

“I couldn’t find any other city that’s done it,” Fleishman said. “The closest I could come to is Churchill, Manitoba, where they’ve declared themselves the Polar Bear Capital of the World.”

For now, the idea remains in the early stages. The city council has not yet taken up the proposal.

Meanwhile, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told CBS13 they could not comment on any proposed legislation but said they plan to present information on black bear management at the next South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting.

As discussions continue, bear advocates hope South Lake Tahoe can lead the way, showing how people and wildlife can coexist in one of California’s most unique mountain communities.