Photo Credit: Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, Living with Black Bears
With the start of summer, wildlife in Vermont is active—including bears. With their powerful sense of smell, bears are always on the lookout for an easy meal, and improperly managed compost bin can quickly become a target. Fortunately, a few simple composting habits can go a long way in keeping bears and other critters away from your home and garden. Here are a few tips to keep bears at bay while composting:
Never feed bears (intentionally or unintentionally): Bears are “opportunistic omnivores” and can be drawn to the scent of bird seed and human food from far distances. If food is easily accessible, then they are likely to return again. To keep bears from foraging around your home:
- Take down bird feeders between April and November
- Clean grills thoroughly to remove grease and food scraps
- Feed pets indoors to avoid attracting wildlife with leftover food
- Never leave food out for bears
Use the right compost ingredients: If you have a compost bin or tumbler on your property, avoid adding meat, fish, bones, or large quantities of dairy to your pile. These items are highly attractive to bears and are more likely to bring them to your property. Instead, collect and store these materials in your fridge or freezer until you are ready to bring them to your local drop off. Residents who have a backyard compost system are also permitted to throw these kinds of scraps in the trash to avoid attracting animals.
Surround with browns: Always cover your food waste with a generous layer of carbon-rich browns such as dried leaves, straw, woodchips, or sawdust. Aim for at least a 3:1 ratio of browns to food scraps or green yard waste. This helps mask odors and aids decomposition.
Take a break: If bears continue to visit your yard despite your best efforts, it’s okay to pause composting for a while.
Temporarily bring your food scraps to a local drop-off site or hire a hauler. You can resume composting once bear activity subsides.
Secure your curbside bins: If you have a curbside compost hauler or dispose of meat and bones in the trash, bear-resistant containers and electric fencing can be a smart way to discourage bear or animal activity.
- The Vermont Agency of natural resources has a list of haulers offering bear-resistant bin options, but this list is not exhaustive. Ask your hauler if bear-resistant containers are available.
- Purchase bear-proof latches for existing bins, and check with your hauler to make sure they’re approved before use.
Connect with neighbors: Bear prevention works best when the whole neighborhood works together. Talk to your neighbors about any bear sightings and make sure they’re following the same composting and waste practices.
For more tips on preventing bear conflicts, visit Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s page on Composting in Bear Country.