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Milton presentation urges residents to secure trash, avoid feeding bears and consider legal ban on intentional feeding
Summary
At a City of Milton Wildlife 101 online presentation, Gerald Hodge of Appalachian Georgia Friends of the Bears and Ranger Jen of Milton Parks and Recreation advised steps to reduce human–bear conflicts — secure attractants, carry bear spray, and avoid firearms — and proposed seeking a state ban on intentionally feeding bears.
Ranger Jen, the outdoor recreation supervisor for the City of Milton, opened the virtual Wildlife 101 session by noting Milton’s preserved green space and the increased chance of human–bear encounters as wildlife move into residential areas.
Gerald Hodge, founder and CEO of the Appalachian Georgia Friends of the Bears, told attendees the most common cause of human–bear conflicts is human behavior and urged residents to remove food attractants. “There is no such thing as nuisance or or, nuisance or problem bears. Bad human behavior begets bad bear behavior,” Hodge said.
Hodge walked listeners through BearWise guidance — a set of practices developed by wildlife agencies — and gave specific recommendations widely repeated during the presentation: secure trash containers, remove food and grease from recycling and food…
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