Composting in bear country
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Updated: October 21, 2009 12:25 AM
Compost that smells will attract bears, but properly maintained compost does not smell. To minimize any risk of bear interaction, follow a few tips:
Never add meat, fish, dairy products, oil, unrinsed egg shells or large amounts of fruit.
Always layer the waste you are adding. It is best to layer fruit and vegetable table scraps between layers of dry leaves or grass clippings.
Ensure the compost is kept moist, but not wet. If the contents are too wet, the compost may begin to smell.
Sprinkle wood ash or lime over your compost if odors develop.
Don’t place your composter too close to a door. If a bear does come to your composter, you don’t want to startle it.
If a bear has visited your compost in the past, and has been rewarded with easy food, it will likely re-visit. There have been cases where bears have learned to identify black domed composters as a food source and have even gone after a new empty composter.
Compost with extra care during the fall months when bears are most actively searching for food. Avoid adding large amounts of kitchen scraps and fruit at this time, instead place these scraps in the freezer until the bears have gone into their dens for the winter.
-Bear Aware
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