Bear Necessities Being Looked Into in Rockland

by M.C. Millman 

Rockland officials have held multiple meetings with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) over the past two weeks to address the increased sightings of bears across the town in recent months. 

The Town of Ramapo and the DEC are working together to create a state-approved bear management plan for Ramapo which will help improve the response to bear sightings. 

The meetings between the representatives of the DEC, Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht, representatives of the Ramapo Police Department, and other town officials have taken place locally at Ramapo Town Hall and in upstate New York. 

One of the more practical results that came out of the meetings is that the Ramapo Police Department will now be able to have more tools available to them to handle bear sightings as a result of a new permit from the DEC.

"I'd like to thank NYS DEC for actively working with us to address the black bear sightings within our Town," Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht shares with Rockland Daily. "We have had several very productive and informative meetings, and together we are putting in place a bear management plan that will give us new options in how we can respond to bear encounters."

As black bears are foragers attracted by the presence of food sources, residents should continue to work not to attract more bears by cleaning up after barbeques, ensuring that food is not left outside, and securing lids onto trash cans. 

If a bear is sighted in the neighborhood, residents should call 911, as the Ramapo Police Department is trained to respond to bear situations.