by Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District
BARRE – Bear experts recommended bringing in bird feeders. Bruins can smell sunflower seeds from a great distance and will return to food, searching for easy calories, including trash and compost. This is unhealthy for the bear who need to eat their natural forage to clear out toxins that build up all winter. Mother bears teach their cubs this unhealthy lifestyle, so they don’t learn the skills or attitude to be fully wild.
Manage backyard compost to mitigate odors. Add browns and carbon, like wood shavings, dry leaves or unbleached paper towels and turn frequently.
