Keeping Bears Wild and Safe

10/11/25, By Brenda Lee, Executive Director

I recently had the privilege of attending the 7th International Human–Bear Conflict Workshop held in Kalispell, Montana (October 5–9, 2025). The week was filled with thoughtful discussion, new ideas, and a welcome opportunity to pause, reflect, and clarify the future direction of the Colorado Bear Coalition (CBC).

Conferences like this remind me how powerful it is to gather with people from such diverse backgrounds—wildlife professionals, researchers, agency representatives, students, and NGO leaders—each united by a shared respect and love for bears. The exchange of ideas reignited my sense of purpose and clarified the values that continue to guide our work at CBC.

Our Commitment to Respectful Collaboration

The conversations reminded me why we do this work and reinforced CBC’s commitment to being a solution-focused, collaborative organization that listens first, engages respectfully, and focuses on practical, lasting change. Our approach is not rooted in blame or division, but in partnership and shared responsibility, one that builds bridges rather than barriers.

We strive to share knowledge and ideas with humility and respect, recognizing that everyone brings different experiences and perspectives to the table. Our goal is to listen carefully, offer solutions, and be part of the problem-solving process, not to demand action or tell others what to do. We see this as an ongoing dialogue, where we work together to find the best path forward. We believe in using a tone that invites conversation rather than alienates, creating space for genuine collaboration and shared understanding.

Our mission remains clear: to reduce human–bear conflict through cooperation, accountability, and community action grounded in compassion and respect. Together, we can make Colorado a safer place for both people and bears.

Reaffirming Our Approach

Effective advocacy depends not just on what we say, but how we say it. Words and the tone behind them shape whether our message is heard, understood or even rejected. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated so powerfully, progress comes from communicating with love, respect, and an unwavering belief in the humanity of all people, even those we may disagree with.

CBC’s mission is not to condemn but to collaborate, to bridge gaps between agencies, local governments, and communities to prevent unnecessary bear deaths and improve coexistence strategies.

Our Guiding Principles

• Independent thought and open dialogue

• Willingness to engage in respectful debate

• Focus on solutions, not complaints

• Hard work and perseverance

• Respect for others—even when we disagree

• Avoiding assumptions and practicing empathy

• Listening to understand

Looking Ahead

We believe in finding common ground and working within systems to create long-term change. Recent successes, like supporting the upcoming bill that will remove the need to prove intent in CPW enforcement cases, show what can be achieved through persistence and partnership.

CBC will continue to champion constructive initiatives, such as a statewide process improvement feedback loop to evaluate bear-handling incidents—not to assign fault, but to identify systemic gaps and ensure lessons lead to improvement and strengthen community-level responses.

We do this work because we care deeply about Colorado’s black bears and the communities that share their landscape. Many bear-related tragedies can be prevented through better coordination, communication, and accountability at the community level. These efforts aren’t about vilifying anyone or any agency or demanding perfection—they’re about improving systems, fostering understanding, and ensuring every bear’s death teaches us something that helps prevent the next.

Progress takes time, but with respect, collaboration, and clear communication, meaningful change is always within reach.

💚 Together, we build coexistence.