Timely presentation: Coexisting with Bears
April 9, 2025 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
Besides mud and maple sugaring, springtime in Vermont signals the return of black bears to the landscape that often includes neighborhoods and backyards.
Emerging from hibernation and hungry for calories, bears find easy meals in trash cans, bird feeders and compost piles. They mean no harm, but this behavior leads them to lose their wariness of people and it can result in damage to property, cars, and homes.
To share information including tips on living alongside bears, the Mad River Valley Bear Initiative will host a presentation on Thursday, April 10, at Sugarbush.
Sarah Crockett, educator and advocate for human/bear coexistence, will discuss black bear ecology, common causes of conflict between bears and humans, and practical ways people can change their behaviors to reduce conflict.
Expect to walk away with a greater appreciation for bears and useful strategies for reducing your chances of attracting bears and ensuring bears remain wild for years to come.
Crockett is an emergency department physician with Dartmouth Health, specializing in wilderness medicine. Her work, passion for the outdoors and mentorship from Ben Kilham of the Kilham Bear Center have led to her involvement in providing community education on black bear coexistence.
The Mad River Valley Bear Initiative is a local volunteer group that raises awareness about black bears in the region. Its membership includes individuals from Duxbury, Fayston, Moretown, Warren and Waitsfield.
The free presentation on April 10 will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. appropriately in the Mini-Bear Room at the Sugarbush Resort Schoolhouse at Lincoln Peak, 84 Forest Drive, Warren.
Learn more online at MRVBears.org.