Bears prompt Forest Service proposed plan for food storage requirement in Lake Tahoe Basin
A 30-day comment period has begun by the U.S. Forest Service on a plan that would require proper storage of food and refuse at developed recreation sites in Lake Tahoe Basin.
The Environmental Assessment for a proposed Forest Order would require use of bear-resistant dumpsters and food lockers designed to prevent access by wildlife. The reason: Bears are attracted to anything edible or scented. Improper storage of human food sources and refuse is a leading cause of human-bear conflict, according to the Forest Service.
Implementation would begin at Fallen Leaf Campground and Meeks Bay Resort due to the high number of human-bear conflicts at these sites. Implementation at additional locations would be prioritized based on the frequency and nature of human-bear conflicts.
Requiring proper food and refuse storage is expected to reduce human-bear conflict by reducing the number of bears that become dependent on human food sources, according to the Forest Service.
The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is accepting comments on the EA for 30 calendar days following the publication of the legal notice in the Tahoe Daily Tribune on April 30, 2014. The EA is available for viewing here.
For more information on the proposal and how to comment, contact Megan Mullowney at 530-543-2651, or email mcmullowney@fs.fed.us.