Boulder Bear Coalition Awarded Grant to Build Trash Enclosures on the Hill
Jennifer Crowell | Published on 10/22/2024
Governor Polis recently announced that Boulder Bear Coalition is a 2024 funding recipient of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant. Boulder Bear Coalition, a local nonprofit, will use their award of over $50,000 to construct trash enclosures in Boulder’s University Hill area. This grant is focused on areas primarily populated by University of Colorado students and owned by private investors. The goal is to help residents on the Hill manage their waste responsibly by preventing bears from accessing trash.
The BBC is currently reaching out to property owners who have historically been most affected by bear activity, aiming to form partnerships with property owners to receive and maintain trash enclosures on their properties. If you'd like more information about the program or believe your property should be considered, please contact Mike Stengel at mike@leaseonthehill.com.
Representatives from BARHA, BBC and Western Disposal met last year to brainstorm ideas about how to help residents be able to report when bear trash cans are broken so that they can be serviced in a timely manner. We discussed labeling the cans with a QR code for ease of reporting. A special thanks goes out to Western Disposal, the City of Boulder Code Enforcement, and the BBC for implementing this innovative new initiative. Stickers with QR codes and phone numbers are being placed on trash receptacles on the Hill, providing students and property owners with quick information on how to replace damaged carts. Brenda Lee stated, “The Boulder Bear Coalition has been offering grassroots educational services for over twelve years, and the additional support from the City of Boulder and Western Disposal will significantly extend all of our efforts to protect bears from being euthanized."