minimize negative human-bear interactions. In essence, a coordinated information and education 

 campaign will be most effective if it facilitates changing inappropriate human behaviors and helps people 

 learn to coexist with bears. In fact, significant progress has already been made in this arena by utilizing 

 the skills of FWPs bear management specialists and FWP intends to continue along these lines. 



FWPs Communication and Education Division is responsible for developing outreach and education 

 plans. The division provides timely information on FWP activities to the media and conducts a variety of 

 educational and recreation-safety programs. Through this program, FWP will continue to promote the 

 grizzly bear as a valuable state resource via public school and community presentations, community- 

 based workshops, news releases, magazine articles, and radio and television spots. Informally, FWP 

 personal from all divisions routinely disseminate information to the public on a routine basis and will 

 continue to do so. FWP will encourage federal land management and wildlife agencies to continue their 

 vital role in grizzly bear education. FWP will coordinate with these agencies to provide bear safety 

 literature at their respective trailheads and offices in occupied bear areas. In many instances this is 

 already underway. 



Examples of current FWP educational and public outreach programs, implemented in many instances in 

 collaboration with FWPs bear management specialists include the following: 



Presentations to schools, colleges, civic and sportsmen's groups. 



Interviews with newspaper, radio, and TV reporters. 



Statewide newspaper features. 



News releases, some with other interested cooperators. 



Radio reports. 



FWP website devoted to bear identification. 



Public Information Plan designed by Conservation/Education Division in reaching public. 



Video entitled "Bears and Bees," advising beekeepers about avoiding conflicts with bears. 



Information on electric fencing to keep bears out of orchards, garbage, grain storage and bee 



yards. 



Meetings with homeowner groups on sanitation, bear-proof containers at Whitefish, bear-proof 



enclosure fence for garbage containment. 



Day-to-day public contacts by FWP personnel during conflict situations with bears. 



Living with Grizzlies brochure (see Appendix B). 



Who's Who? - Know Your Bear brochure. 



Bears brochure. 



Be Bear Aware children's handout. 



Bear Hunters - Know Your Target! wallet card 



Internal education and training 



Bumper stickers "A Fed Bear is a Dead Bear" 



Human safety is also of utmost concern when hunting in grizzly bear country. To instruct young, old 

 and first-time hunters in appropriate techniques when hunting in grizzly country, FWP will incorporate a 

 lesson on human safety while hunting in bear habitat in each hunter education class. In Montana, no 

 person between the ages of 12-17 may apply for and receive any hunting license unless the person 

 possesses a hunter safety certificate. Current records confirm that approximately 7,000 students are 

 certified each year through FWPs hunter education program. 



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