Minimize conflicts with bears this summer
In the absence of human-created attractions, bears rely on small, scattered patches of natural foods: specific types of young green vegetation in spring, certain species of ants and ant pupae in June, berries in summer, and nuts in fall. But if bears can get access to concentrated, high-calorie, easily accessible foods around people’s homes and campsites, they are quickly enticed away from their natural food sources.
It is important to secure anything that a bear would consider food. Don’t condition bears to associate homes or campsites with an easy meal by leaving out unsecured garbage, birdseed or pet food. Learn more about how to reduce property damage, and the chance of human-bear conflicts, on the DNR website and BearWise online resources.
DNR webinars cover off-highway vehicles, reconnecting fish populations
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites people interested in fish, wildlife and outdoor skills to check out the summer program schedule for the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series. Live webinar presentations at noon on Wednesdays the next two weeks feature discussions about off-highway vehicles and reconnecting fish populations.
The first webinar is Wednesday, June 21. Joe Unger, OHV program consultant, will discuss where to go, how to stay safe and other helpful information to know while exploring Minnesota’s public OHV trails.
The second webinar is Wednesday, June 28. Over thousands of years, fish populations in Minnesota’s rivers have adopted annual migrations to spawn, feed and overwinter in critical habitats. Since the mid-1800s, humans have impacted watersheds and changed river systems using dams, culverts and other barriers that restricted fish movements and led to the loss of some species in many parts of the state. Jon Lore, DNR natural resource specialist, will talk about the impact of these barriers and how DNR efforts to remove or change them has led to great success in restoring Minnesota’s native fish populations.
The Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series webinars are offered year-round and are free, though registration is required. Visit the Outdoor Skills and Stewardship webpage of the DNR website for the registration portal, more information about upcoming webinars and recordings of past webinars.