Antonio di Nunzio, Valerio Reale

Human–bear coexistence in the Central Apennines requires approaches that consider wildlife conservation alongside the social, economic, and institutional aspects of living with a recovering bear population, as well as the cooperation and joint work between protected areas and NGOs. The LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors project builds on more than two decades of coexistence work in the region, including preventive measures, the removal of food attractants, compensation schemes, community engagement, and initiatives supporting local economies. The Bear Smart Community (BSC) approach has been developed to increase local participation in coexistence planning and governance across both the core bear area and ecological and coexistence corridors.
The Central Apennines comprise diverse social and ecological contexts, with differences in bear presence, institutional capacity, local attitudes and experiences, and economic conditions. The project therefore uses a participatory action-research methodology to develop coexistence approaches suited to local circumstances. Local committees bring together municipalities, farmers and beekeepers, hunters and truffle hunters, tourism operators, cultural organizations, and citizens, providing a forum for discussion, coordination, and joint decision-making.
The process includes human–bear conflict risk assessment, mapping of food attractants, facilitated visioning and coexistence-planning workshops, action planning, and the development of formal agreements and longer-term funding strategies. It also entails designing, building, and testing a framework of norms, protocols, and documents intended to make the experience sustainable, codifiable, and replicable. Coexistence Plans are intended to set out priorities and actions for moving from the current situation towards a shared vision for 2040.
The experience so far indicates that Bear Smart Communities can provide a practical framework for bringing local stakeholders together, supporting local involvement in decision-making, and developing longer-term approaches to human–bear coexistence in the Central Apennines.

Presenter email: [email protected]