Clean camps are cool!
Planning a camping trip now that spring is here?
Ensure that you and your family have a safe and enjoyable outdoor experience by taking a few simple “BearSmart” precautions.
By May and June, bears are already at lower elevations in Alberta’s mountain areas. They are also hungry after the long winter, and are looking for easily available sources of food. That’s why it’s a good idea to take extra care to keep your campsite “squeaky clean.”
Clean camping starts before you leave the house. Pack along extra plastic bags for garbage. If you plan to cook, take biodegradable soap in an airtight container for dishes. Be sure all your camping equipment is clean and odour-free, including your cooking utensils, picnic cooler and tent.
In camp, store food out of reach of bears. If possible, keep it in airtight containers in the trunk of your vehicle. If appropriate storage facilities are not available, hang food in sealed containers at least 3 metres above the ground between trees. This will discourage bears from investigating them.
Bears, with their keen sense of smell, are attracted not only to cooking scents but also to items such as toothpaste, deodorants and other scented toiletries. Store these items as carefully as you store your food. Leave at home any non-essentials that might attract bears.
Clean all cooking utensils and grills carefully and dispose of used dishwater in designated areas. Garbage should be sealed in plastic bags for disposal in bear-proof bins or packed out. Never bury food scraps.
If you’re on a fishing trip, clean fish at designated cleaning stations. If no station is available, dispose of fish remains in proper garbage containers.
While in camp, think “BearSmart.” If you leave the site, even for a few minutes, take care not to leave food unattended.
Being a clean camper is cool!
Read more tips on safe camping.
Conserving Alberta’s wildlife resources for the benefit of current and future generations is an important action under Premier Stelmach’s plan to manage growth pressures and improve Albertans’ quality of life. Other priorities are to govern with integrity and transparency, build a stronger Alberta and provide safe and secure communities.
