People and Carnivores funds bear resistant containers up the North Fork

The North Fork Preservation Association and People and Carnivores teamed up to provide bear resistant food storage and garbage containers in businesses in and around Polebridge.

 Bear resistant containers have been placed at employee housing for Home Ranch Bottoms and the Northern Lights Saloon. Bear resistant trash receptacles have also been placed at the Polebridge Mercantile employee housing. 

The entire project was funded through the generosity of People and Carnivores. The Preservation Association facilitated placement of the containers, which, all told, cost $5,900.

In the past, grizzly bears have gotten into food and garbage at employee and other housing in the area.

In 2021, a productive sow grizzly named Monica by locals and her yearling cubs were killed by bear biologists after they after they repeatedly got into garbage and broke into vehicles, including a trailer in Polebridge that was being used to store garbage.

Since then the Preservation Association and businesses have taken a proactive approach to the problem, installing bear resistant garbage containers and other protective structures to keep bears out of human foods. In addition it holds training seminars each spring to teach new employees and others about bear safety and precautions while living in the area through what’s known as the “Bear Smart” program. The program partners with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks bear specialists, the Glacier Institute and People and Carnivores.

The program also features a loaner or purchase program for bear resistant garbage cans for home and property owners, a bear spray recycling program and an initial response program that can help a property owner with game cams and scare devices if a bear is frequenting their property.

For more information, visit the Preservation’s website at www.gravel.org