BearWise Press Room
About BearWise
BearWise® is an education and outreach program founded, supported and funded by member state wildlife agencies. Today BearWise is a national program of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA).
BearWise is managed by a national team of state agency bear biologists and communications professionals from the private sector, working together to ensure that no matter where people live, play or travel, they get the same consistent about living responsibly with bears.
Sound Science, Real World Solutions
The BearWise team works together to ensure that BearWise content, messaging and materials reflect both sound science and the everyday realities of living, working and recreating in bear country.
BearWise® Created by bear biologists. Supported by State Wildlife Agencies. Dedicated to helping people live responsibly with bears.
How to Write, Talk (and Think) BearWise
You have the power to help everyone understand how and why people (often unintentionally) cause most human-bear conflicts. And even more importantly, how living BearWise can prevent them.
Communication Guide Contents:
Let’s Talk Bears – 1
– Consequences of Attracting Bears
– Bears Are Not Furry People
– Don’t Blame the Bear
Responsible Communication – 2
Terms to Avoid, Phrases to Use – 3
BearWise as Your Resource – 4
– How to Use Our Name & Content
– Interviews, Experts, Research
Using BearWise Content
BearWise outreach materials (free downloads in our store) may be reproduced as is and shared, posted, printed.
The BearWise article bank features dozens of articles meant to be shared. Our primary focus is on easy-to-understand, proven ways to prevent conflicts with bears at home and outdoors and help keep people safe and bears wild. Our regular features on bear behavior and biology help people understand what drives bear behavior.
Subscribe to receive BearWise articles and announcements as soon as they are published.
When sharing/reprinting BearWise articles: BearWise content is copyrighted. You may reprint, redistribute or excerpt without changing or altering content in any way. Required credit line: Courtesy of BearWise® | BearWise.org
Please notify us where BearWise content will be used.
To request written permission for any other use, please contact us.
Using BearWise Photos/Videos: Many photographers have granted BearWise the right to use their photos because they support the BearWise mission. For permission to use a BearWise photo, please contact support@BearWise.org.
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Using the BearWise Name / Logo
The name BearWise® and the BearWise logo are registered trademarks, and must be used in accordance with our guidelines. Download BearWise Name & Logo Usage Guide.
BearWise is one word, with a capital B and W.
The BearWise brand name should not be altered. BearWise is not an organization or group. Misuse makes BearWise seem like just a clever play on words rather than a national program.
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No quotation marks (“BearWise”)
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Never in possessive form (BearWise’s)
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Do not use lowercase (bearwise or Bearwise)
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Not hyphenated (Bear-Wise)
The registered trademark symbol ® is required with the first or primary use of BearWise in any printed or digital materials or messaging (press releases, newsletters, blogs, etc).
When listing our website, please capitalize the B and W: BearWise.org
Request hi-res logo (provide your name, organization/publication, phone number)
The BearWise® name and logos are registered trademarks of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies and may not be used on educational, promotional or commercial materials or products without prior written approval from BearWise.
BearWise in the News
Year In Review #5: ‘Aggressive’ Bear Destroys Home In Upstate New York, Returns (NY, January 2025)
“Year In Review #5: ‘Aggressive’ Bear Destroys Home In Upstate New York, Returns”
January 2, 2025 | Hudson Valley Post
Hudson Valley, NY
BearWise Press Releases & Announcements
BearWise Contacts
National Chairman:
Nate Bowersock, Missouri Department of Conservation
Nathaniel.Bowersock@mdc.mo.gov
Communications and Marketing Director:
Linda Masterson
media@bearwise.org, 970-231-7500
To inquire about ordering outreach materials for a state agency:
support@bearwise.org
State Bear Management Information:
Every state wildlife agency has unique factors that steer state bear management policies and actions. To request information about bears in a specific state or a state-specific issue, incident, situation or action, contact the state wildlife agency directly. BearWise does not comment on these types of state-specific matters.
