3. TUSNAD ECO BEAR CONFERENCE IN ROMANIA

Sensing Clues and Nature FIRST Join the Tusnad Eco Bear Conference in Romania

A conference about people and bears, about coexistence.

Next week, we’re excited to be part of the 3rd Tusnad Eco Bear Conference at Hotel O3zone in Băile Tușnad, Romania.

Organised by the ProjectBag Association and WWF Romania, with support from the Mayor's Office of Băile Tușnad and Nature FIRST, this year's conference will tackle the challenges of human-large carnivore coexistence. Experts from across Europe will gather to share practical solutions for reducing human-wildlife conflicts through presentations, workshops, and field trips.

Our team members – Jan-Kees, Melanie, Menno, and Rebekka – will lead discussions on managing these conflicts and developing bear-smart communities. Rebekka will moderate a panel discussion on human-wildlife coexistence featuring Tánczos Barna, former Minister of Environment, Water, and Forests of Romania, Zsolt Butyka, Mayor of Băile Tușnad, Cristian Remus Papp, Bear Expert & Team Leader WWF Romania, and Jan-Kees. Additionally, Nature FIRST partners, including Jan-Kees, will delve into various aspects of human-large carnivore coexistence.

A special highlight will be the debut of the Human-Bear Conflict Radar, developed by Wageningen University Research and Sensing Clues as part of the EU-funded Nature FIRST Project. This innovative tool will help communities monitor and predict conflicts with brown bears in real-time, paving the way for better coexistence. We’re excited to share that similar technology will soon be adapted for other species, like elephants, wolves, and tigers. Stay tuned for updates!