Tips to protect your home from bears

Colorado Parks and Wildlife asks residents to keep bears away from their homes by using these tips:

Keep garbage in a well-secured enclosure.

Put out garbage only on the morning of pickup.

Take down all bird feeders.

Attract birds naturally with flowers and water baths.

Clean garbage cans regularly to keep them odor free.

If there isn’t secure storage, put items that might become smelly into the freezer until trash day.

Don’t leave pet food or stock feed outside.

Never provide food for any wildlife.

Secure compost piles.

Fully enclose backyard beehives and chicken coops.

Allow grills to burn for a couple of minutes after cooking to burn off grease and to eliminate odors. Clean grills and their grease cups after each use.

Clean up thoroughly after picnics in the yard or on the deck.

People with fruit trees should pick fruit before it gets too ripe.

Keep garage doors closed.

Keep the bottom floor windows of the house closed when not at home.

Do not keep food or used-food containers in vehicles.

Lock vehicle doors and roll up the windows.

Talk to neighbors and kids about being bear-aware.

Volunteers to build progressive trail

Trails 2000 announces a new, progressive-style trail maintenance project on the Medicine Trail.

The project is designed to improve and enhance the Progressive Ridge riding area in Horse Gulch. The trail is designed for aggressive mountain biking.

Work will include the update of existing features and adding several new elements to improve the flow, sustainability and overall fun factor.

Trails 2000 will host these Build Days from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

To access Build Days, park or ride to Horse Gulch Trailhead at East Eighth Avenue and Third Street and walk up the road to the Trails 2000 work truck, where clear directions will be posted about how to find the work crew on the Medicine Trail.

For more information, visit www.Trails2000.org.

You can celebrate National Trails Day

San Juan Mountains Association in partnership with Tres Rios field office will host a National Trails Day Event from 9 a.m. to noon June 6 at Mud Springs recreation area, south of Cortez.

National Trails Day is celebrated throughout the U.S. with a series of outdoor activities designed to promote and celebrate the importance of trails.

San Juan Mountains Association and Tres Rios will host a morning of hiking, biking and horseback riding.

Horses will ride the seven-mile, non-motorized loop.

Hikers and bikers will have several options of shorter distances into the area.

Bureau of Land Management specialists and naturalists will lead hikes and answer questions. No sign-up is necessary.

For more information, email kathe@sjma.org.

Herald Staff