A delegation from the esteemed U.S. organization “People & Carnivores” is visiting the Central Apennines. Since 1992, this organization has worked to promote coexistence between rural communities in North America and large carnivores such as black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, and mountain lions. The purpose of this visit is to engage in constructive dialogue with the international organization to evaluate and exchange best practices, with the aim of improving human-bear coexistence strategies in the Central Apennines.
From September 15 to 20, expert bear biologists Kim Johnston and Amber Kornak are visiting the Bear-Smart Communities established in Central Italy by the Regional Natural Reserve Monte Genzana Alto Gizio, in the municipality of Pettorano sul Gizio, the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, and associations Salviamo l’Orso and Rewilding Apennines. This is part of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative, which seeks to compare and enhance coexistence practices between humans and bears across Italy and the U.S.
Antonio Di Croce, Director of the Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Reserve—the largest in Abruzzo—expressed his pride and honor in hosting the representatives of People & Carnivores. He emphasized the importance of tangible, constructive exchanges concerning the conservation and management actions for the Marsican brown bear. He highlighted that thanks to dedicated efforts over the past decade, the bear population density in the reserve has stabilized at levels comparable to their historical central distribution area. “It’s an honor to host these experts, review our work since 2015 aimed at peaceful coexistence, and strengthen the community-based approach involving local stakeholders.”, he said.
Amber Kornak shared her impressions: “Before starting our visit to the “bear-smart municipalities”, Kim and I explored the Apennine bear habitats. At first glance, the main difference with the United States is the more widespread presence of human settlements. This makes it even more crucial to adopt the best practices to prevent human-bear interactions that could create social tensions and potential risks for both bears and people. We are surprised to hear that some people still believe it is necessary to feed bears when the natural environment is already so rich in food resources. The proximity of bears to towns is not due to a lack of food in the wild, but to the greater concentration of resources that some bears have learned to find near human settlements.”
Kim Johnston added: “The fact that there have been no recorded attacks on people by Apennine bears so far does not mean that increasing direct human-bear interactions could not lead to accidents, even unintentional ones. Why take that risk, rather than investing instead in a healthy culture of prevention that can make this region increasingly bear-smart?”
Luciano Sammarone, Director of the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park, highlighted the progress made: “The advances in the central Apennines, both in damage prevention and involving local communities in bear conservation, are evident. These results stem from the synergy between institutions and associations—exemplified by the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative—and the contributions of good-willed local residents. Meetings like this international exchange with American colleagues are particularly valuable, as they promote cooperation and experience sharing, especially with countries where bears are more numerous than here. We are fortunate to still host a small population of these emblematic animals in a highly anthropized environment. The Park is pleased to host the final conference of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors project, scheduled for September 20-25, 2026, in Pescasseroli, during the 29th International Conference of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA), whose members are leading experts worldwide.”
It’s very likely that the People & Carnivores biologists will return to the Central Apennines for this major international event next year, where they can publicly share the results of their current visit.
Rewilding Apennines Communications Manager Angela Tavone concluded, “On behalf of our organization and the entire partnership, I thank Rewilding Europe for sponsoring Amber and Kim’s trip and for supporting the bear-smart approach—both human and financial resources—aimed at replicating it in other European areas, even with different key species.”
The Central Apennines is increasingly recognized as a place where best practices for coexistence between humans and wildlife are being implemented, acknowledging the ecological and cultural value of its natural heritage.
