Recreationists in several National Forests must keep all food and attractants safely contained and away from wildlife. That’s mandated by Food Storage Orders. A group of volunteers are helping enforce the orders amid staffing cuts
National Forests are home to large populations of diverse wildlife, including grizzly bears. Recreationists are required to keep food safely secured to protect that wildlife in areas with food storage orders.
The volunteer Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Taskforce has been stepping up to make sure that policy is properly implemented. Mike Bader is a consultant for the taskforce.
“ So with all the staff cuts that were announced over the past year, you know, and earlier this year- we became concerned that maybe there weren't enough people out there keeping track. So we decided to do some spot checks,” Bader said.
The taskforce found several violations, the worst of which were found in an area commonly used for grizzly bear migration. If grizzlies become habituated to human food they are often relocated or killed.
Bader explained recent staffing cuts amid a federal downsizing have limited the Forest Service’s ability to enforce the orders.
“They're not able to meet their commitments and this is a commitment they made towards grizzly bear recovery,” Bader said.
The U.S. Forest Service did not respond to questions about staffing in Montana forests. The agency reminds Montanans to always secure their food and pack out their trash while recreating.
