Colorado Parks And Wildlife Hopes $1 Million Grant Will Reduce Human-Bear Conflicts

By Jennifer McRae

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    DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife is hoping to reduce human-bear conflicts thanks to a grant program. The $1 million in grants was made available through House Bill 21-1326.

The grant program will be used on projects that reduce conflicts. Local governments, HOAs, community groups, businesses, tribes, universities and individuals are all eligible to receive funding for grants between $50,000 and $500,000.

“This is an huge opportunity for local governments and partners to work with Parks and Wildlife to reduce human-bear conflicts to keep communities and property safer and better protect Colorado’s iconic black bear populations,” said Gov. Jared Polis in a statement. “I look forward to seeing positive impact from the innovative solutions that are developed through these new projects.”

According to CPW, projects should be designed to prevent conflict with bears and have tangible outcomes with realistic timelines.

“This is a unique funding opportunity we are providing to help communities reduce human-bear conflicts,” said Kristin Cannon, Deputy Regional Manager for CPW’s Northeast Region, who is helping lead this effort, in a statement. “High priority projects will model solutions to conflict, be innovative, are replicable by other communities, involve multiple partners and fill a need in an area with high conflict.”

CPW received over 14,000 reports of sightings and conflicts with bears in a two-year span from 2019-2021. Nearly one-third of those involved trash cans and dumpsters as an attractant. That will be a target area that CPW hopes to address when awarding grants, along with birdfeeders, livestock, open garages and other human-originated items that are left unsecured.

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