Kohl: Would a statewide trash policy help reduce human-bear conflict?

The short answer is no, but this response deserves a complete explanation. Colorado has vast terrain and a variety of environments, as well as a wide range of community types within its borders. For the communities in bear-country, more help is needed to support residents than those who live in downtown Denver.

A one-size-fits-all state statute is less critical than providing necessary support where it is needed most. We believe that support might proceed step by step as follows:

1) Helping city and county governments to implement effective trash regulations.
2) Supporting city and county governments as they enforce their trash regulations in positive ways that help change human behaviors (for full-time and part-time residents as well as tourists). This can often occur by understanding how specific communities have experienced success (e.g., Snowmass Village).
3) The state could create maps, like fire or flood hazard areas, focused on high bear traffic areas and where increased mitigation efforts were taken. With this resource, more people will be aware of natural environmental issues.
4) The state could provide guidelines that HOAs, cities, and county governments could adopt to help contracts made with trash hauling companies support local regulations without transferring all additional costs to residents. For example, trash companies must collect from clients who use bear-resistant containers, or they most often provide IGBC-approved trash containers in high-risk areas.

Rather than dictating regulations or mandating ordinances, state government leaders could take a more supportive approach by empowering their constituents and guiding positive change where it’s most needed. The state could leverage the data collected by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to strategically provide financial support to cities, county governments, unincorporated municipalities, subdivisions, and HOAs willing to adopt and implement bear-aware practices.

RoaringForkBears.Org


Daniela Kohl
Carbondale