Grizzly Guard in the News
Grizzly Guard Composter was built to solve a very real Greater Yellowstone problem: how do you compost at home when grizzly bears are part of the neighborhood? Over the years, our work — and the broader conversation about bears, food waste, and living responsibly in bear country — has shown up in local press and community media. Here's a running roundup of those mentions and the stories behind them. We'll keep adding to it.
2025
Chef Notes: "Compost service helps soil, creates connections"
Jackson Hole News&Guide — column by Bru
In a feature on local composting, the News&Guide profiled Haderlie Farms and its WyoFarm Composting operation, then pointed readers to other ways Teton County residents can keep food scraps out of the landfill. Among the options highlighted: the Grizzly Guard Composter, described as a residential-scale bear-proof composter developed by Rob Sgroi with guidance from Silicon Couloir, the local nonprofit that mentors area entrepreneurs and inventors.
The piece is a great snapshot of why we built Grizzly Guard in the first place — composting only works long-term if it fits the place you live, and in Jackson Hole, that means keeping bears out of the equation.
2021
"Feds eye Griz 399 around the clock"
Jackson Hole News&Guide — Wednesday, October 27, 2021, by Mike Koshmrl
This front-page story tracked the famous sow Grizzly 399 and her four cubs during an extended walkabout through southern Jackson Hole. Wildlife managers documented a string of conflicts as the bears exploited human-related food sources — getting into livestock feed, a beekeeper's colony, grain left out for moose, and a backyard compost pile.
We include this one because it captures the exact scenario Grizzly Guard is designed to prevent. An open or poorly secured compost pile is an easy meal for a bear, and once a grizzly learns to associate homes with food, the outcome is rarely good for the bear. Stories like 399's are a reminder that bear-resistant composting isn't a nice-to-have in this landscape — it's how we keep both our food scraps and our bears where they belong.
Have you seen Grizzly Guard mentioned somewhere we missed? Let us know and we'll add it to the list.
Grizzly Guard Heads to the Teton Valley BioBlitz
COMMUNITY EVENTS | BEAR COUNTRY STEWARDSHIP
Join us June 5–6 in Driggs, Idaho for conversations about composting, bear safety, and living responsibly in bear country.
We're excited to announce that Grizzly Guard will be at the Teton Valley BioBlitz on June 5–6, 2026 at the Teton Valley Land Trust Offfce. Founder Robb Sgroi will be on hand with a demonstration Grizzly Guard composter and printed materials, answering questions about bear-resistant composting, food attractants, and best practices for folks living, working, and recreating in bear country.
Event Details
What: Teton Valley BioBlitz & Conservation Fair
When: June 5–6, 2026 | Conservation Fair: Saturday, June 6, 1:00–4:00 PM
Where: Teton Regional Land Trust Office, Driggs, Idaho
Find us at: The Teton Valley Bear Wise table, alongside Idaho Department of Fish & Game and Teton Bear Wise
Teaming Up with Teton Valley Bear Wise
Along with our demonstration composter, the Bear Wise table will feature:
Bear-resistant canisters for backcountry food storage
Electric fencing demonstrations
Information on living in bear country
The Teton County bear ordinance and bear conflict map
What You'll See at Our Booth
Stop by to get a hands-on look at the Grizzly Guard composter. Robb will walk you through how it works, why managing attractants matters in bear country, and how a well-designed compost system can reduce conflicts between people and wildlife. Whether you're a homeowner thinking about starting a backyard compost, a property manager responsible for multi-unit waste, or someone just curious about conservation, there's something here for you.
About the BioBlitz
The Teton Valley BioBlitz is shaping up to be a big event, bringing together conservation organizations, land stewards, and community members for two days of education, outdoor activities, and connection. The Conservation Fair portion runs Saturday afternoon, June 6, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Full event information are available through Eventbrite.
Come say hello.
We'd love to meet you, hear about your experiences in bear country, and show you what Grizzly Guard is all about.
See you June 6 in Teton Valley.
Come See Us at Garden Expo 2026 in Lander
Garden Expo 2026
We're excited to announce that Grizzly Guard will be at the 2026 Garden Expo, hosted by the Popo Agie Conservation District on Saturday, April 18th at Lander Valley High School. The free, family-friendly event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and features a trade show, workshops, a petting zoo for the kids, and concessions if you want to make a day of it.
Stop by our booth to see the Grizzly Guard Composter up close — the world's first certified bear-resistant composter. Whether you're already composting in bear country or you've been putting it off because of wildlife concerns, we'd love to chat about how the Grizzly Guard makes backyard composting safe and simple. It's compact, easy to use, and built from recycled materials right here in the USA.
This year's Expo is packed with great programming, including a keynote on plant diagnostics from UW Extension's Drs. Jean Williams-Woodward and Dick Woodward, plus workshops on everything from soil health and edible landscaping to weed management and outdoor recreation. There's even a new hands-on fermentation class if you're into preserving your garden harvest.
If you live anywhere near Lander, this is a great Saturday outing. Swing by our booth, say hello, and let's talk composting — the bear-safe way.
For more details on the Expo, visit popoagie.org. To learn more about the Grizzly Guard Composter, head to grizzlyguardcomposter.com.