For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Jackie.Greger@sierraclub.org
Spring is Here, and so are the Bears- NJ is Still Unprepared
NJDEP released an advisory announcing its pilot project to provide 3,000 accessible bear-resistant trash receptacles to six municipalities, including Sparta, West Milford, Jefferson, Rockaway, Hardyston, and Hampton, with elevated bear incidents. The Murphy Administration provided $500,000 in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget to offer certified bear-resistant trash receptacles to residents in municipalities impacted by bear-related nuisances.
Taylor McFarland, Conservation Program Manager, NJ Sierra Club, released the following statement:
“It’s springtime, and bears are coming out of their dens, but are New Jersey residents prepared? While NJDEP is taking a small step forward to reduce nuisance cases by providing some bear-proof containers for areas in Bear County, it will not completely solve the human-bear conflicts that can be easily avoided. New Jersey needs to adequately fund and enforce bear-proof containers in counties with a high population of bears, not just a few municipalities. Without this critical component, we will continue to have nuisance cases, even with a needless bear hunt.
“Bears show up in human spaces because we’ve cut them off from access to their spaces. The bears of NJ need connected natural habitats, so bears and other wildlife can migrate and thrive without approaching human spaces. With New Jersey being one of the country's most overdeveloped and densest states, the coexistence of bears and humans will continue to get more difficult unless we effectively manage our trash.
“Governor Murphy campaigned to end the bear hunt and has flipped on his promise. He gave up on non-lethal management efforts before they started. New Jersey must invest in practical, non-lethal management efforts so that humans and bears can coexist. The NJ Legislature must also move forward with legislation supporting effective non-lethal bear management solutions such as S765(Johnson/Zwicker). Spring is here, and so are the bears. New Jersey must be prepared, or else bears and people will continue to pay the price.”