Across Europe, community leaders such as mayors play a vital role supporting nature recovery by helping people and wildlife share space. Launched at a well-attended webinar, new guidance will equip these leaders with the knowledge and solutions to enhance coexistence and unlock the benefits of wildlife comeback.

For six days in July, the KinoAppennino event saw Italy’s Central Apennine mountains transformed into an open-air film workshop. Guided by creative filmmakers, local residents stepped in front of the camera to help craft a range of moving short films — captivating audiences and sparking fresh enthusiasm for rewilding.

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.

By scaling up wildlife-smart communities across Europe, we can support wildlife comeback and take co-existence to the next level.

Encouraging and enabling people to live alongside bears and other wildlife in the Central Apennines of Italy is critical to the recovery of local nature. By fostering dialogue and collaborative solutions, bear-smart community committees will help to promote such coexistences across the landscape.

The aim of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative is to enhance human-bear coexistence in Italy, Greece, and further afield. The initiative’s well-attended first two public meetings, in the towns of Pettorano sul Gizio and Vastogirardi in the Central Apennines rewilding landscape, proved very positive and educational events.

A new study has confirmed that Marsican brown bears play a valuable role promoting the Central Apennines as nature-based tourism destination.

A diverse event calendar saw the Rewilding Apennines team engage with a wide range of people and local communities in 2022, helping to promote rewilding. Their efforts are driving the rewilding movement forward, with real momentum going into 2023.

Italian and Greek partners in the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative recently visited Canada to learn about Bear Smart Communities in British Columbia. The insights acquired and collaborative ethos developed will enhance rewilding efforts.

Shot by Bruno D’Amicis and Umberto Esposito, the short film “Central Apennines, A Rewilding Journey” is a beautiful vignette of rewilding in the Central Apennines of Italy. Boosting outreach in the local community, it will also help to promote rewilding to a wider audience.