WHEREAS, northwestern Nevada is home to scenic Lake Tahoe, the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, and to beautiful public open space; and

WHEREAS, wildlife is abundant and diverse in these areas as well as in the urban foothills that surround many of the communities in Washoe County; and

WHEREAS, access to trash drives bears from their natural habitat into populated areas looking for food sources; and

WHEREAS, bears that become habituated to feeding on our waste lose their natural fear of humans and may be euthanized due to the public health risk; and

WHEREAS, the public can reduce the number of encounters with our bear population and keep our bears safe by properly containing waste, storing trash cans inside until the morning of trash pick-up day, utilizing wildlife proof trash containers, and storing pet food indoors; and

WHEREAS, Washoe County residents and all Nevadans are encouraged to do their part to protect our bear population;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIM GIBBONS, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim the month of August, 2009