Colorado Parks and Wildlife researchers are testing whether reducing bears' access to human food will reduce conflicts between bears and people in urban areas.

The Durango Herald (http://bit.ly/M6dsyo) reports the agency is reimbursing the city of Durango for the $135,000 cost of placing 760 bear-resistant trash containers around the area. Wildlife officials hope to have 1,000 bear-resistant containers placed by next spring. The containers have special latches that are difficult to open without opposable thumbs.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife researcher Heather Johnson says a study at Yosemite National Park showed that bear-proofing significantly reduced bear-human conflicts, but there hasn't been a similar study in an urban setting.

The study in the Durango area is expected to take two years.