Bear Working Group
The Bear Working Group (BWG) is a collaborative effort to minimize human and bear conflicts in La Plata County. Representatives from a variety of community stakeholders work together, in what is in essence a de-facto government board or commission, to:
- Develop and help implement creative community-based solutions for minimizing human-bear conflicts;
- Provide a forum for sharing information and resolving divergent views, and enabling coordinated responses to requests for information;
- Participate in the evaluation of best practices, attractant management, and bear management and provide feedback to the partners;
- Provide a coordinated approach to community outreach and communications regarding the activities of the Working Group; and
- Provide, or recommend, a coordinated response to human-bear conflict issues in the community.
The Bear Working Group is typically comprised of representatives from:
- City of Durango
- City Code Enforcement
- La Plata County
- La Plata County Sheriff Department
- La Plata County Humane Society
- US Forest Service / BLM
- Colorado Division of Parks & Wildlife
- Bear Smart Durango
- Living With Wildlife Advisory Board of La Plata County
- Local Waste Haulers
- Durango Area Association of Realtors
- HOA Representatives
- Citizens
The first gathering of the Bear Working Group (BWG) was held on April 28, 2011 in the Anasazi Room, La Plata County Courthouse.