Teresa Berezowska-Cnota, Agnieszka Olszańska, Agnieszka Sergiel, Tomasz Zwijacz-Kozica, Nuria Selva

Damage caused by bears to human properties and the presence of bears in urban areas, together with administrative responses to these situations, can represent a major challenge for coexistence. We summarise research and conservation efforts in the Polish Carpathians over the last decades to outline key lessons, new challenges and emerging opportunities for human-brown bear coexistence. First, we show how past and present landscape characteristics, forest productivity, and genetics interact to determine where damage is more likely to occur. We also show that compensation programs can increase tolerance and conservation willingness through trust in the administration and perceived control over wildlife. Second, we illustrate how conflict-prone situations related to the presence of bears in urban areas have emerged as a new challenge, generating intense public debate and highlighting limitations of current management strategies. We discuss inadequate waste management over the years, increasing tourism and a lack of integrative and adaptive bear management as root causes. Finally, we present opportunities arising from an ongoing series of round table discussions involving multiple stakeholders. These meetings have arisen in response to escalating conflict situations and the recognition that the current governance system has lacked coordination and resources. Although initiated by different actors, they are contributing to improved coordination and the identification of practical measures, such as a bear emergency team and improved waste management. They are also informing current policy debates and legislation on bear management. Our case study outlines the socioecological factors underlying bear use of human-related resources and how conflict situations evolve when management fails to adapt promptly. We emphasise the importance of coordinated, evidence-based governance for long-term coexistence and aim to open a discussion on similar dynamics in other countries.