An event to celebrate together the commitment of communities, associations, and local authorities in promoting long-term coexistence between humans and bears

At the end of the school year, an exciting event was held to recognize children and teenagers who participated in the educational program and the contest of LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors in Central Apennines. They demonstrated significant knowledge and awareness about human-bear coexistence.

In recent months, through a participatory approach, some Committees for the Bear-Smart Communities within the ecological corridors of the Central Apennines have become operational. This is an important step towards planning concrete, long-term actions for coexistence between humans and bears.

In the Bear-Smart Communities of the Central Apennines, an educational initiative has begun to raise awareness among children and teenagers about human-bear coexistence.

“You cannot bluff if there is a theatrical civilization, and theater is a great civil force; theater removes the cowardice of living, it takes away the fear of the different, the other, the unknown, of life, of death.“ Leo De Berardinis, actor and theater director     Theater is a powerful tool for communication, as … Continued

During the monitoring visit of LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors – a formal moment to verify that what has been done so far by the partners is consistent with the plans and rules of the European Commission – the role of bear-smart communities for human-bear coexistence in the central Apennines was strongly emphasized through testimonies, field visits, and official moments.

Since late May, the Italian partners of LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors have been implementing a new initiative to engage local communities, to support the development of Bear-Smart Communities in the Central Apennines.

A productive three days of meetings and visits took place over the past few days in the town of Kalabaka in Thessaly.

At the end of September, a bear cub, born last year, fell dead from a poacher’s weapon in the Radosi area, near the Xino Nero village of Florina! The unfortunate bear, which was still at an age where it has not been separated from its mother, was spotted by a local livestock breeder who informed … Continued

A new study has confirmed that Marsican brown bears play a valuable role promoting the Central Apennines as nature-based tourism destination.