Are you a mountain enthusiast?

Whether you are outside or inside a protected area, with small gestures you can contribute to bear and nature conservation

READING TIME 7 MIN

Are you a sports person or a hiker? On foot, on skis, on snowshoes, on horseback or on bicycle? A photographer, a mushroom picker or simply a mountain and nature lover? Remember that every sacrifice is a gesture of conservation. You can contribute more than any organisation or administration with small conscious gestures, outside and inside a protected area.

Bears, like us, need their space and tranquillity. For them, the woods in particular are like the walls of our houses. The only difference is that they cannot close doors and windows when they need to.

When you enter nature, move around with respect and teach it to those who are with you. Give up a little adventure for the peace of mind of the animals. Make yourself predictable and reduce your impact. Do not approach sensitive areas and animals, give them space, avoid moving at night and stay on visible tracks.

Bears, when disturbed, can feel the effects for days, even weeks at a time, at the expense of their health and integrity.

Read this list of good practices and make it your own:

Inform yourself about the needs of bears by reading our stories or the official website of your nearest authority. Enjoy the tranquillity of nature, reduce your impact by not being noisy. Avoid going for a hike at dawn and dusk. Animals have adapted to avoid our presence, if we interfere with their lives even at these times of the day, we will make their survival more and more complicated. Consider hikes with experienced and sensitive professional guides.

Never leave trails or a visible track, even if there is no regulation in place. Respect the ordinances and restrictions if you are in a protected area, they are made to protect bears and other animals at sensitive times and periods. If you have a dog with you, find out about the regulations if you are in a protected area, but in general always take it with you on a leash. This is required by law and it also makes your dog and other animals safer.
Remember that winter is a sensitive season for many animals including bears. Therefore, especially in this season, do not venture off-trail into remote and inaccessible areas (where animals take refuge).

If you are looking for mushrooms or other forest products, always comply with the relevant regulations, make your presence felt, announce yourself and if you see fresh signs of bears, move away. Leave the wild animals in peace and avoid remote and inaccessible areas (where animals take refuge).

Do not teach animals bad habits. Do not leave organic waste or food scraps. Our food can be unhealthy for a wild animal and teaching them to seek it out can be dangerous for them and for us.

Avoid particularly risky situations, such as approaching the carcass of a wild animal or livestock, or a female bear with cubs, and report the situation to the Forest Rangers or Park Rangers.

Give up on a close-range photo shoot and always observe animals from a distance. If you see a bear and photograph it, do not immediately post the photo on social networks: wait a few days and never point out the area where you saw it. If you post a photo, you give bears and nature a voice, and with your captions you educate and raise awareness for models of environmental knowledge and responsibility.

For the future of the bear, every small action counts. Spread knowledge, raise awareness, make a difference.

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