Bear Ambassadors Promote Safe Coexistence in Adamello Brenta Park

LIVING WITH BEARS IN TRENTINO: ON JULY 7 AND 8 AND THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER, FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR, LAV’S BEAR AMBASSADORS WILL MEET CITIZENS IN THE TERRITORY OF THE ADAMELLO BRENTA PARK.

It has been three months since the terrible tragedy that resulted in the death of Andrea Papi following an incident with the bear JJ4. The importance of informing and educating citizens and tourists so they can move safely in habitats frequented by bears is more pressing than ever, especially given the total lack of information from the relevant institutions.

This weekend, from July 7th to 8th, and continuing through September, marks the return of the Bear Ambassadors for the third consecutive year. This project, a collaboration between the Adamello Brenta Park and LAV, is dedicated to prevention and aims to raise awareness about bear conservation. The project’s aim is to educate citizens about the behaviours necessary to prevent situations that could potentially lead to interactions between bears and people.

The collaboration between Adamello Brenta Nature Park and LAV focuses on an environmental education project aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence between bears and people. This initiative shares the latest scientific knowledge to prevent potential encounters and incidents in bear-inhabited territories. Human behavior often dictates bear reactions.

After successfully reintroducing bears in Trentino through LIFE Ursus, led by Adamello Brenta Nature Park and the Autonomous Province of Trento with EU support, there’s a clear need to invest more in bear-human coexistence. This involves introducing new communication tools for both residents and tourists, as insufficient knowledge often leads to bear-human conflicts.

LAV volunteers – Bear Ambassadors – will greet visitors at parking areas in Val di Genova and explain proper behaviour in bear-inhabited areas, particularly emphasising waste management, which is a significant attractant for bears and other wildlife. Sharing information helps ensure citizen safety in bear territories by preventing and/or managing encounters.

Massimo Vitturi, LAV Wildlife Manager, underscores the project’s aim to bridge the gap since the 2004 conclusion of the Life Ursus project by providing practical assistance in sharing accurate information.

With Daymonilia’s support, the project includes distributing thousands of encounter guidelines flyers and tens of thousands of coexistence-promoting placemats to Park catering facilities. Visitors will also receive shopping bags with the project slogan “ALLTOGETHER – to live together safely.”

Bear Ambassadors will be present at Val di Genova parking areas every weekend from July to August until September 3, 2023.

Press Release: https://www.lav.it/news/bear-ambassador
Read also: link for more information on the 2022 initiative