The town of Baile Tusnad will host, between 21 and 24 October, for the fourth consecutive year, a major international conference dedicated to human-bear coexistence, along with a festival and an art exhibition on the same theme.
The TusnadEcoBearConf event, organised by the Project Bag Association, brings together experts, researchers, public officials and organisations from several European countries, including Norway, Slovakia, Austria, Romania, France, Ukraine, Germany, Turkey and Greece, to discuss the challenges and solutions related to coexistence with large carnivores.
"Project Bag Association is organising the TusnadEcoBear Conference for the fourth time, a landmark international event on the coexistence between large carnivores and humans. The conference will bring together renowned specialists, representatives of public institutions, researchers and civil society organisations from more than ten countries, to jointly find solutions to the challenges of human-bear coexistence," reads a press release sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday.
Among the keynote speakers are well-known experts such as John D. C. Linnell (Norway), Cristian-Remus Papp (Romania), Brady Mattsson (Austria), Klemen Jerina (Slovenia) and Dimitris Bormpoudakis (Greece), who will address topics such as the impact of climate change, the role of technology in the future of coexistence, and the involvement of communities in bear conservation.
The programme includes scientific sessions, debates, workshops and field visits to Lake Saint Anne and in Tinovul Mohos, as well as a round table discussion on the theme "Is human-bear coexistence possible in today's context?"
A special highlight of the event will be the "Art for Coexistence" exhibition and charity auction, where artworks inspired by the relationship between humans and nature, created by Romanian and Hungarian artists, will be auctioned online to support future projects.
"The auction aims to raise funds for the next edition of TusnadEcoBearConf and for activities promoting human-bear coexistence. Proceeds will be shared equally between the artists and the conference initiatives, ensuring that art and environmental responsibility go hand in hand," the organisers stated.
In parallel, on 23 and 24 October, the TusnadEcoBearFest will take place - an educational festival dedicated to children and families. The event will feature interactive activities, creative workshops, scientific experiments and guided tours designed to bring young people closer to nature and to promote a responsible attitude towards the brown bear and its habitat.
"TusnadEcoBearFest is not only a fun family event but also an important opportunity for education and awareness. The organisers aim to connect participants with nature, highlight the true role of the brown bear in the ecosystem, and show how humans can live in harmony with it," the release adds.
It also notes that in the past four years, Baile Tusnad, the smallest town in Romania, has made significant efforts in human-bear coexistence, conflict management and damage prevention. The success of these initiatives relies on the active involvement of the local community, institutional cooperation and the effective implementation of existing legislation.
As a result, Baile Tusnad has become an international example of good practice in managing human-bear conflicts, with incidents becoming increasingly rare in recent years.
"As a small town, we have shown that different social and institutional groups can work together, discuss differences, reach compromises and embrace new ideas and specialists, all working towards a common goal: improving the quality of life in the local community. (...) We are aware that the town lies in the heart of the forest and we do not seek to eliminate bears completely, but we are prepared to intervene efficiently and minimise food sources that attract them to urban areas. The intervention team of the Baile Tusnad Municipality, led by Mayor Butyka Zsolt, plays an essential role in this respect - their discreet activity, often during the night, has visible effects during the day," the cited source added.
The conference is organised under the project "Coexistence with Bears - Conservation Needs Conversation!", funded by the European Union, and implemented with the support of the Project Bag Association (Ecotourism Destination Management Unit Baile Tusnad and Surroundings), Baile Tusnad Municipality, WWF Romania, WWF Bulgaria, WWF Hungary, BOKU University (Austria) and New Horizons Bulgaria, according to the press release.
The event also receives support through the "TusnadEcoBear: Connect & Conserve" project, funded by the Bears in Mind Foundation, as well as through the "Co-creating Coexistence: Advancing Policies, Practices, and Stakeholder Engagement for Integrating Wildlife and Livestock into Sustainable Multi-functional Landscapes in Europe" project, financed by the Horizon Europe - Research and Innovation Programme of the European Union.
The organisation of the conference is also supported by the Harghita County Council, through the Ciomad-Balvanyos Intercommunity Development Association.
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