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The environment desk at Aspen Public Radio covers issues in the Roaring Fork Valley and throughout the state of Colorado including water use and quality, impact of recreation, population growth and oil and gas development. APR’s Environment Reporter is Elizabeth Stewart-Severy.

Forest Service Issues Order As Bear Problems Begin

Courtesy Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife

There are new restrictions for food and related items in all developed recreation sites on the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District. The Forest Service announced what it calls a food storage order yesterday. It requires that all food and refuse be kept in bear-resistant containers. Bill Kight is with the White River National Forest.

“Well it means when there are food storage units provided at campgrounds that the public has to use those. And when there are not food storage units then they need to take precautions that are standard really precautions of putting your food in a bag and suspending it from a tree that’s high enough the bears can’t get.” 

Or, put the food in a container, like a cooler, and then in a locked car.  That also goes for utensils, cookware, and other food-related items. The order covers the designated campsites along Lincoln Creek and Castle Creek. Several sites on the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District in Eagle County are also included. The Forest Service put the order in place because of multiple bear incidents in recent days. Again, Bill Kight.

“It seems that the bears are coming out earlier this year, and we’ve had more incidences in a short period of time than we have before, and that’s enough to make us really cautious.”

The Forest Service is also keeping in mind last year’s busy bear season. The food storage order is in effect through October 15th.

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