CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- After two years of revisions, the U.S. Forest Service approved an order to keep food away from bears in more of Wyoming's Bridger-Teton and Shoshone national forests, officials said Tuesday.

The expanded order, which replaces one implemented 13 years ago, will take effect March 1, Bridger-Teton spokeswoman Mary Lendman said.

The order spells out how food, pet food, dead game animals, livestock grains and feeds, garbage and hygiene items should be stored by forest users so they don't attract bears.

Forest Service officials say the order, which has drawn criticism and threats of litigation from several Wyoming counties, is necessary to address increasing bear and human encounters and ensure visitor safety.

More than 700 human-bear conflicts have been reported in the area the past two years, and requiring all forest users to keep their food out of reach by tying it up in trees or locking it in containers will help reduce those numbers, wildlife biologists said.

''This is a human health and safety issue, pure and simple," Shoshone National Forest Supervisor Becky Aus said. ''We don't want people getting hurt out there because bears are attracted to human foods."