Courtesy of VINS
It’s becoming more and more common for humans and black bears to cross paths in places that are troublesome to both like the one shown above.
Thursday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m.—QUECHEE— VINS presents a discussion about black bears in Vermont: “Coping with our New Backyard Visitors” on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.
Seeing black bears is not something new for residents of Vermont who spend time outdoors. Spotting the dark silhouette of one of New England’s largest animals is exciting. However, more and more bear sightings are occurring not in the wild but in our neighborhoods and backyards. When bears and humans cross paths, and bears venture into our neighborhoods, problems arise and unfortunately, bears often pay the ultimate price for these interactions.
VINS is pleased to host Forrest Hammond from VT Fish and Wildlife Department for a discussion on our new backyard visitors: bears. The discussion will explore why bears are coming into human populated areas in the first place and dig into the various problems that can stem from these encounters. Most importantly, this talk will highlight what humans can do in our own neighborhoods and backyards to keep ourselves, our property, and the bears safe and minimize the negative impacts that humans have on wildlife.
Forrest M. Hammond is currently a wildlife biologist with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and works out of the Springfield state office. He received both a B.S. in zoology and an M.S. in wildlife management from the University of Wyoming where he studied the food habits and habitat use of black bears in the Salt River Range of Northwest Wyoming.
Hammond worked as a district wildlife biologist, a habitat biologist, and then as the grizzly bear biologist for the Wyoming Game & Fish Department before returning to his home state of Vermont. He currently serves on the department’s big game team and is instrumental in setting seasons and bag limits for deer and moose and is responsible for doing environmental reviews of residential and commercial development projects in southern Vermont. He is also the leader of the department’s black bear program.
The discussion is free and open to the public — a $10 donation is suggested. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact sstrew@vinsweb.org or call 802-359-5000, ext. 245. VINS is located at 6565 Woodstock Road, Quechee.
