Coexisting with bears - Conservation needs Conversation!

ongoing

The general objective of the project CERV-COEXISTENCE is to enhance the impact of local citizens by enabling their proactive engagement in decision making processes and collaborative management related to mitigating conflicts between humans and wildlife, and promoting viable coexistence with bears, thus specifically empowering the youth, propelling gender equality, and uplifting marginalized groups residing in rural and mountain communities in 3 EU countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary). Specific Objective 1: Foster participatory decision-making and collaborative management among the key stakeholders from 3 pilot countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary) under the umbrella of academic knowledge and guidance (Austria). Specific Objective 2: Improve dialogue and information sharing between stakeholders, as well as networking Specific Objective 3: Increase understanding, knowledge about bear ecology and human-bear conflict and the management of the species Specific Objective 4: Actively engage youth in human-bear educational programmes Specific Objective 5: Provide opportunity and encourage citizens’ participation in policy debates and decision-making processes Specific Objective 6: Establish bear-smart communities and improve coexistence with the brown bear Specific Objective 7: Improve livelihood opportunities for local communities Specific Objective 8: Co-creating bear-smart business opportunities and leveraging good practice on innovative financing mechanisms Specific Objective 9: Improve knowledge about the drivers and process of bear habituation, and encourage citizens to participate Specific Objective 10: Dissemination of project results The project will: build a transnational platform for dialogue (500 people, min 7 countries), an interactive knowledge-sharing platform on bear related topics, capacitate and engage citizens (315), equip youngsters with knowledge (530), co-create package of information and strategic documents on brown bear management.