EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Manitou Springs, as well as an El Paso County business, is among 17 recipients of $1 million in state grants aimed at reducing conflicts between people and bears.
Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) announced the 2026 recipients of the Human-Bear Conflict Reduction Community Grant on Tuesday. The program will fund projects across Colorado to help communities prevent bear encounters and keep wildlife and residents safe, according to officials.
Manitou Springs received $100,000 to expand its efforts to reduce human-bear conflicts. According to officials, the project will launch a city-wide initiative to distribute bear-resistant residential trash bins and replace noncompliant public trash receptacles throughout downtown and at high-traffic trailheads…