grizzly bears are successful in areas where they are currently expanding or to adapt management 

 policy to environmental change to ensure long-term persistence. 



Further research is also needed on the importance of anthropogenic impacts on bear habitats. As 

 documented elsewhere, roads, commercial activities (mining, logging), livestock grazing, 

 suburban sprawl, and recreational uses (i.e. snowmachining, off road vehicles) may impact the 

 ability of bear populations to persist in an area. More intensive research is needed on threshold 

 levels at which these impacts become significant and possible ways to mitigate adverse human 

 impacts on brown/grizzly bear populations. Similarly, it is important to find ways to identify 

 threshold levels of tolerance for adverse impacts of grizzly bears on humans. Additional 

 research on genetic conservation, deterrent/repellants, and conflict management would also be 

 helpfiil. 



Efforts to restore grizzly bears also require better information on economic and ecological costs 

 and benefits of bears and social attitudes towards bears. Among other reasons, such information 

 is needed to demonstrate the value of preserving wildlife movement and access to habitats. 



Costs and Funding 



> The majority of funding for these programs will be borne by the sportspersons of Montana 

 through license fees as well as federal Pittman-Robertson funds from excise taxes on 

 firearms and ammunition currently in place. 



> FWP will seek significant additional federal fiinding for the five-year post-delisting 

 monitoring period and develop on MOU with federal agencies to contribute funding support 

 and involvement with habitat and population monitoring within the PCA and on federal lands 

 outside the PCA. 



> FWP will explore avenues to allow tourists to participate in program fiinding. 



> FWP will continue to work to find ways for national interests in this species to be reflected in 

 long-term funding commitments, i.e., a national endowment. Congressional act, or other 

 vehicles. 



> While cost of the program will initially increase over current levels, these costs should 

 stabilize or even decrease over time as the species is managed as one component of our 

 overall wildlife program. 



> FWP will explore development of a grizzly bear specialty license plate as an additional 

 source of funding. _ 



Sportspersons in Montana have been and continue to be the proper source of funding for state 

 efforts to manage grizzly bears. Each year FWP spends more than $350,000 in direct costs to 

 manage grizzly bears. These funds are used to monitor and manage population status, 

 distribution, nuisance, and mortality within the state. 



As grizzly numbers and the area occupied increase, management costs will also rise. Certain 

 management data will need to be collected to assess population status and to manage nuisance 

 activities. Total costs are difficult to determine at this point in time, especially considering that 

 expansion may not be limited in the near future. The costs associated with data collection and 

 nuisance management will certainly exceed funds currently available. As a result, the grizzly 



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