NEWS BRIEF
The Denver Gazette reports that Colorado Parks and Wildlife is awarding a combined $1 million to 17 communities, businesses and nonprofit organizations for human-bear conflict mitigation efforts. The grants support local initiatives intended to prevent conflicts, with recipients including Manitou Springs, Snowmass Village, South Fork and Boulder County.
CPW reported receiving 27 applications seeking $2.2 million this year. The agency said Colorado logged 5,229 bear reports in 2025, a 15% increase in conflicts and interactions since 2019. The report also notes that the General Assembly increased penalties last legislative session for luring bears with food or edible waste.
What to know
Colorado Parks and Wildlife awarded $1 million for local bear-conflict prevention projects, while applications sought more than twice that amount. CPW reported 5,229 bear reports in 2025 and said many reports involve trash or food waste.
Reporting: Marissa Ventrelli · Denver Gazette · 09-29-2026
