On July 1, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos issued guidance to reduce the potential for human-bear conflicts. In a statement released by his office, Seggos said there have been a number of black bears reported in suburban locations. “DEC is urging homeowners and property managers to follow the simple steps and guidance to keep bears from taking up residence in an area, including storing garbage in secure buildings, removing bird feeders, and feeding pets indoors. Preventing access to food sources is key to preventing nuisance bears,” Seggos said. The DEC advises residents and visitors to take steps to avoid attracting and creating nuisance bears: Never feed bears intentionally. Remove all bird feeders; keep garbage, grills, pet food, and bird seed inside a solid, secure structure. Move grills away from houses and remove grease traps after each use. Put garbage on the curb the morning of collection, not the night before, and use bear-resistant containers. And, close garage doors and ground-floor windows or doors at night. More information on avoiding and creating conflicts with nuisance bears is available at the DEC website. Read the full press release at DEC [dot] NY [dot] gov.