Human-Bear Conflict Management Plans
Once you have an involved group of people who want to reduce human-bear conflicts, and you understand what those conflicts are alongside other community dynamics, it’s time to make a plan to reduce the conflicts.
A human-bear conflict management plan will serve as a community’s guide to their Bear Smart efforts from types of projects to involved parties to timelines to budgets and more.
Human-bear conflict management plans should be developed based on the information gathered in community-specific conflict assessments. A Bear Smart committee, working group, or a designated coordinator will typically manage implementation of the community’s conflict prevention activities.
Plan Components
Similar to conflict assessments, each community’s conflict management plan will look different. Some will be very detailed and lengthy. Others need only be a few pages as long as they cover all information pertinent to the community.
A conflict management plan will likely include information about:
Attractant management recommendations, including for solid waste
Green space management recommendations
Education and outreach efforts
Timelines for implementing solutions
Budget breakdowns for the plan’s proposed actions
Involved parties and their roles in implementing the plan
Bylaw development and implementation and/or updating community planning documents
Plans for monitoring effectiveness and measurements of success
For more information on developing a management plan and details on what to include, refer to section 8 in B.C.’s Bear Smart Community Program Background Report, or section 3 of the IGBC’s manual.
A Living Document
As you work through the management plan, new concerns may arise, changes to the community may affect the work, or previous “unknowns” may become clearer to help refine future conflict reduction projects.
In developing a management plan, it may be helpful to think of it as a living document. There can be future iterations of the plan as work continues and factors change. The key is that it provides guidance for upcoming work at whatever stage the community finds itself.
A Bear Smart committee or coordinator can ensure the plan is reevaluated or updated as work progresses. Consider including a timeline or otherwise make note in the plan for when it will next be reviewed. This will help keep momentum going and maintain progress after main priorities are addressed.
Support for the Plan
Community and political support is as important as the content of your human-bear management plan. To be effective, it must enjoy the full support and authorization of the governments and agencies that ultimately are responsible for wildlife management, human safety, and community development.
The appropriate elected or appointed officials (the local mayor and council, for instance) and department heads (municipal planners and regional wildlife managers) should be involved in deciding which strategies will be implemented, taking into account social, liability, and economic considerations.
Example Plans
More Resources for Developing Management Plans
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Education
Raising awareness and changing people's behavior is a fundamental part of keeping people and bears safe in your community. It’s also a fundamental part of a conflict management plan.
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Bylaws and Ordinances
Bylaws are an important element of any successful human-wildlife management plan as a way to prohibit the supply of unnatural foods to wildlife.
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Mitigating Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions
Beyond attractant-based conflicts, reducing vehicle collisions with bears is not only important for wildlife, but also public safety.
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Community Planning Documents
Once your community has finalized and adopted a human-bear conflict management plan, it’s time to make sure community planning and decision-making documents are updated to be consistent with the plan.