Steps taken to help people share space with bears in the Central Apennines of Italy mean the future of the Marsican brown bear now looks brighter. In 2026, an event in the Central Apennines rewilding landscape will shine a light on these actions, share ideas, and find better ways for people and wildlife to thrive together.
Taking brown bear comeback to the next level
For many years, the Rewilding Apennines team and local partners have been working hard to protect and enhance the endangered population of Marsican brown bears living in Italy’s Central Apennine mountains. Building large wildlife corridors as safe connections between protected areas is helping bears and residents of local communities to thrive together.
The spotlight will be firmly on the Marsican brown bear in 2026, when the global bear research community gathers in the Central Apennines rewilding landscape. From September 20 to 25, the town of Pescasseroli will host two important gatherings: the international conference of the International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA), and the final conference of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative. Both events will focus on the groundbreaking work of the Rewilding Apennines team to help people, bears, and other wildlife flourish alongside each other.
“Encouraging and empowering local communities to live alongside bears lies at the heart of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative,” says Annette Mertens, Rewilding Europe’s Rewilding Landscapes Manager. “Hosting the initiative’s final conference during the IBA gathering is a powerful opportunity to share its successes with a global audience and inspire others to follow suit.”
The value of sharing space
With around 60 Marsican brown bears roaming free in the Central Apennines, the survival of this iconic subspecies depends on new and creative ways that enable it to share space with residents of local communities. The IBA conference will bring together hundreds of people — including scientists, government authorities, NGOs, and representatives of these communities — to share ideas and find ways for people, bears and other wildlife species to live side by side.
Earning recognition
The decision to host the IBA conference in the Central Apennines reflects international recognition of the “Bear-Smart Community” approach. Since 2015, when local NGO Salviamo l’Orso established the first such community in Genzana, this approach has been developed and expanded, with communities now set up in 15 Central Apennine municipalities. It has already reduced threats to bears, sparked local action, and shown how sharing space can generate real benefits for communities and become a source of local pride. These successes are why the IBA chose to organise its conference in the Central Apennines next year.
“We are extremely proud to be hosting this significant international event, which is eagerly awaited by the global bear conservation community,” says Rewilding Apennines team leader Mario Cipollone. “Both conferences will not only highlight the uniqueness of the Marsican brown bear, but also celebrate the local communities who live side by side with bears and other animals every day. The collective progress made in the landscape here shows how rewilding offers a hopeful way forward for both people and nature, with practical ways for communities to live alongside large carnivores in a way that benefits both. ”
Sharing knowledge and experience
The five-day, twin conference programme will feature scientific and socio-cultural sessions, research presentations, the exchange of best ideas and experiences, exploration of stunning Apennine landscapes, and tastings of local gastronomy. Together, these will showcase the Central Apennines as a model for human-wildlife co-existence.
“This will be a valuable opportunity to understand conservation challenges, research, and best practices worldwide,” says Giovanni Cannata, President of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. “The LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative has seen collaboration with local communities increase awareness of what it truly means to share territory with bears — influencing local conservation strategies and guiding ways to safeguard the species across Europe. Knowledge sharing among global researchers, biologists, and naturalists reinforces collective efforts and determination to face future challenges.”
Replication across Europe
The Bear-Smart Community model could help people live alongside wildlife in many more places across Europe. By helping people and bears to thrive together, it could support brown bear comeback across the continent and deliver benefits for nature and local communities at scale. As keystone species, brown bears help to maintain the health and functionality of ecosystems, while they can also contribute to local economies by boosting nature-based tourism.
Following the event in Pescasseroli, a guided field trip to Trentino will be organised, in collaboration with the Autonomous Province of Trento. Building on the achievements and lessons learned in the Central Apennines, the aim is to start conversations with institutions, citizens, experts, and media, with the aim of helping people and bears living side by side in the Central-Eastern Alps.
A broad partnership
Multiple organisations are working together within the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative to enhance human-bear coexistence in the Central Apennines. Partners include Rewilding Europe, Rewilding Apennines, the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, Salviamo l’Orso, the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, the Sirente Velino Regional Park, the Monte Genzana Alto Gizio Regional Nature Reserve, and several local municipalities and associations. Since 2021, these partners have worked to expand the Bear-Smart Community approach, reduce threats to bears, and build a culture of living with bears.
The five-day event in Pescasseroli next year is supported by the European Commission’s LIFE Programme and Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. Further updates and registration details for the event will be announced soon.