Leon County and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Host BearWise Education Event

Leon County and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Host BearWise Education Event

WHO:        Leon County and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
WHAT:      BearWise Public Education Outreach Event
WHEN:      Tuesday, September 27, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
WHERE:   Fort Braden Community Center, 16387 Blountstown Hwy

Leon County Government, in partnership with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) Commission, will host a BearWise Public Education Event. BearWise is a community-wide effort to educate residents and businesses in bear-prone areas to reduce human-bear interactions. The event is open to anyone interested in learning more and will be held on Tuesday, September 27 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Fort Braden Community Center, 16387 Blountstown Hwy.

Leon County and FWC have already trained front line staff and will now educate the public on how to live near black bears without incident. Citizens will learn new preventative techniques to reduce bear attractants, keep pets and livestock safe, properly secure garbage, and how to respond in an encounter with a bear.

Trainings like Bearwise are more important than ever because the black bear population continues to increase across the state while natural habitats are receding, driving the bear population into human-dominated areas.

Refreshments will be served and a bear resistant trash can, valued at $300, will be raffled off to attendees.

For more information, contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov .

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