Bear Smart Durango

Download 2024 Recap PDF

Despite the sobering statistics, our area wasn't lacking in human-bear conflict mitigation efforts.

3,157 fruit trees were listed for harvest on The Good Food Collective website
50% of the The Good Food Collective's community harvests targeted bear-prone fruit trees
Colorado Parks and Wildlife grant funding allowed for nearly 650 bear-resistant trash cans to be added in the city, county, and tribal lands, and for the placement of 20 food storage lockers in San Juan National Forest campgrounds
73 residential and commercial trash cans were repaired or replaced with bear-resistant versions by the city of Durango
The four-acre Table to Farm Compost facility was fully-enclosed with electric fencing
Bear Smart Durango installed 17 electric fences for chicken coops, beehives and more
Over 24,652 pounds of pumpkins have been dropped off by residents and kept from bears at City of Durango pumpkin recycling events since 2019

"(Our area) saw an increase in human-bear conflict incidents this year. The acorn crop was spotty and not abundant this year but the berry crop was fair in most places. Despite the natural food conditions, domestic fruit trees around towns and private lands produced good fruit which attracted bears... This easily available food source could have drawn bears closer to human-occupied areas, increasing conflicts." - Area 15 Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta.