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Here at the ÁÔÆæÖØ¿Ú, bears on campus are just another part of life. Students, staff, and faculty are all accustomed to the emails that UMPD sends out to notify us that one of our four-legged friends has made it onto campus. 

Unfortunately, this cohabitation between humans and bears on campus can sometimes cause conflict, especially when food or trash is involved. Because of this, UM has committed to improving bear-safe infrastructure to reduce human-bear conflicts. For information about our previous bear-safe infrastructure installations and efforts, read our Bear Safe Efforts article. 

, a nonprofit based in Missoula, has been an integral part of UM's effort to become a bear-safe campus. Through their program, HRI provides a conflict reduction toolbox. Bear-Resistant Community-Scale Waste Management is one of the tools that UM has been using to reduce the number of negative bear-human interactions on campus. 

During the fall of 2025, HRI awarded UM $38,167 from the Carnivore Conflict Reduction Fund for additional dumpster enclosures and signage. The funds were used to construct bear-resistant enclosures for trash and recycling dumpsters at the south campus apartments. This represents the first investment in bear smart infrastructure for UM-owned apartments and is just the first phase of work to be done. Eventually, as funds allow, all dumpsters will be enclosed to limit bear attractants as much as possible.

The Office of Sustainability is very excited to support this work of making UM a bear-smart campus. Reducing conflict with our four-legged neighbors is a key component of being responsible stewards of the land that sustains us. Also, we want to say a huge thank you to Heart of the Rockies Initiative for their support on this project. Together, we can make changes that make a real difference. 

Go Griz!