Cluey is loose! This week we introduced our data collecting and tracking app to the Rewilding Apennines team and its partners. During this time we got to know the team as very dedicated and having a can-do attitude in seeking ways to improve coexistence between people and bears in the Apennines.
The mountainous project area, spanning over 100.000 hectares, is the habitat of bears, wolves, chamois, eagles, vultures, and many other interesting species. It consists of protected areas and connecting corridors, which are home to both wildlife and small villages and farms. The ambitious goal of Rewilding Apennines and its partners, Salviamo l’Orso, Società Coop. Ent dei Monti Ernici, Intramontes, volunteers as Bear Ambassadors, and the authorities of the protected areas, is to increase the number of bears in the Apennines while ensuring a safe environment for both people and bears.
Since this week, Cluey has come to their aid. The tool helps to record bear-signs of presence, to map food resources that attract bears, identify abandoned barbed-wire fences in which deer get entangled, water wells in which bears may drown, and record many other types of observations. To complete the intelligence cycle, that is - to analyse the collected observations and translate these into actionable information - the Focus Analytics app was introduced.
The responses of the team are very promising:
“A revolutionary application!” Fabrizio
“The app will help us a lot in our job for nature conservation in the Central Apennines!” Angela
“Great job and very effective!“ Mario
Next to a number of practical suggestions, the trainees evaluated the tools as very helpful, flexible and fast. Moreover, the data collection tool is easy to learn, easy to use, and complete. It contains almost all the species, traces, and problems that are of importance to the area.
A very promising start of a worthwhile project!
