BE BEAR AWARE & WILDLIFE STEWARDSHIP MONTH

Spring is the time when bears and cubs emerge from their winter dens, kids once again start exploring our great outdoors, and families begin making their summer plans to travel to our parks, forests, and refuges.  May is the time to remind Americans how to enjoy our wildlife, especially bears, safely and responsibly.

ACTIVITY:

In partnership with the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies; the Western, Midwestern, Northeastern, and Southeastern Associations; individual state and federal wildlife and land management agencies; hunting, fishing, outfitters, and guides associations; Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA and other youth groups; local community organizations, the Center for Wildlife Information will conduct press conferences with local and national media.  This will include distribution of educational materials, hands-on demonstrations from the Bear Avoidance and Wildlife Stewardship Train-the-Trainer Program, and workshops and educational programs with grade school and high school students and youth groups.

      Safety topics will include:

• The importance of reading trailhead signs;
• Identifying fresh bear signs;
• Special cautionary situations:  noisy and low visibility areas;
• What to do when confronted by bears, mountain lions and rattlesnakes;
• Setting up a campsite to minimize bear encounters;
• Food storage to minimize odors and attractants;
• Viewing and photographing wildlife safely and responsibly(binoculars, spotting scope & telephoto lenses);
• Avoiding encounters with wildlife in residential settings;
• Examples of misinformation that causes the problem of tourists & recreationalists believing that it is appropriate to approach, feed, touch and interact with wildlife.
• Hunter and gun safety techniques

OBJECTIVES: 

• To remind the public to be stewards of our wildlife by demonstrating how to respect the wild in wildlife.
• To demonstrate the latest safety techniques for avoiding encounters with bears, mountain lions and rattlesnakes when hiking and camping and while viewing and photographing wildlife.
• To show the leadership ability of the young instructors and to instill a sense of pride in the wildlife stewardship program.
• To encourage the television, radio and print medias and the tourist and advertising industries to participate in this wildlife stewardship effort.

Click here to print the above as a handout.

RESOLUTION

Designating May as `National Be Bear Aware and Wildlife Stewardship Month'.

Whereas wildlife and wildlife viewing enrich the shared outdoor heritage of the people of the United States;

Whereas it is possible to enjoy wildlife in a way that is prudent, safe, and educational and that has minimal adverse effects on wildlife;

Whereas the people of the United States should be aware of the potential for conflict between humans and wildlife;

Whereas the people of the United States should learn the safety and stewardship techniques that can prevent such conflicts;

Whereas some groups, such as the Be Bear Aware and State and Federal wildlife associations, in cooperation with State and Federal wildlife and land management agencies, have taken important proactive steps to create educations toolkits and design programs to educate outdoor enthusiasts; and

Whereas educational efforts can raise awareness of the potential for such conflict, help minimize such conflict, and promote the responsible enjoyment of wildlife: Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Senate designates May as `National Be Bear Aware and Wildlife Stewardship Month'.