Bear EDU - Field Edition

Inspiring Conservation through Education

Helping the next generation of conservationists learn about bears and the critical ecosystems they call home.

Why is Experiencing Wild bears important?

Every single one of us at For the Love of Bears has had a life changing experience with wild bears has lead us to give our time to help bears and the places they call home. We are passionate because we know bears differently than you can learn from a text book or nature documentary.

We and many of our donors know that we are privileged to have had experiences with bears, which shaped how we live our lives, spend our extra resources, and work to protect bears and their habitat.

For the Love of Bears has spent several years thinking about how best to share remote wild experiences with bears beyond the few that happen to have the resources to seek out trips to wild places in Alaska, the Rockies, or Svalbard. Bear EDU - Field Edition came about to bring future conservationists out to the bears where they can be inspired and learn more than they can any other way.

What’s the Plan?

Along with our Education Advisory Board we have planned two amazing opportunities to bring undergraduate science students to Alaska. We are currently working to secure funding to provide two groups of six students with a free trip to a remote camp in Katmai National Park where they will have hands on learning and experience with coastal brown bears during the summer of 2023.

This time will be life changing, and it is our belief that through the experience For the Love of Bears will help to light a fire of curiosity and love for bears and their natural ecosystems in students as they begin their academic journey. The next generation of environmentalists will be the ones to guide us through a changing climate and shifting populations, they will be the ones to study species, influence policy, and potentially lead in the protection and preservation of bear species around the world.

Our board chairmen, Dave Shumway, has spent more than a decade planning trips to remote corners of the globe for students from Rocky Mountain College, and has seen first hand the fire that is lit in a young student when they get to experience the places they have been studying in the books. He has also developed more than a dozen undergraduate curricula and is excited to build a course of study to help the students get the most out of this experience. Additionally several of our board members are certified bear guides who lead clients on bear photography trips to places like Katmai, Lake Clark, Sør-Spitsbergen, Wapusk, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks.

Who gets to go, and why?

For the Love of Bears believes those closest to the land are best suited to protect it. For this reason, we have chosen to work with tribal colleges from a wide range of First Nations for these trips. It is our hope that by offering opportunities to students early in their academic studies we will help shape their focus, give them incredible field experience, and ignite a passion for bears as they pursue continued scientific study.

Our hope is these students will become a voice for bears and influence communities and policy for years to come. Working through a network of educators we plan to open an application process at the beginning of the Spring Semester 2023, with selection to follow in early April and the trips to take place in July and August of 2023 (prime bear viewing season).

We want this trip to be a jumping off point for students.

What makes this Special?

A multi day trip to Katmai National Park often costs $6,000-$10,000 per person, something many American’s put on their bucket list and save for years to be able to afford. To nearly all young people visiting Katmai to experience wild bears like nowhere else on earth isn’t even in the realm of possibility, but with generous support from donors For the Love of Bears is positioned to bring this opportunity forward.

This unique opportunity brings students to remote places far from boardwalks and is a unique, on the ground adventure few people ever get to experience in their lifetimes. Camping in these wild places allows you to wake up with the bears and venture out all day in the care of experienced guides, returning after the midnight sun fades to the comfort and safety of expedition style tents and electrified fences.

If you haven’t experienced wild bears up close yourself, jump over to For the Love of Bears Instagram account and follow us to get a glimpse into the life’s of bears like you can’t imagine. There is something so special about bears and how they interact with their world, that can’t help but create a connection in those who see it.

How can I Nominate A Student, or apply Myself?

We are currently in the grant process 🤞🏼, we plan to open the application process January 15, 2023 and close it March 15, 2023, with applicants notified in early April. Selected applicants will then have several virtual meetings with their guides to help insure they are fully prepared for the trip.

How can I help make this a reality for students this year and into the future?

The goal is to cover the bulk of the costs (airfare, charter planes, camping equipment, loaner camera equipment, food, guide services, insurance, permits, etc.) through several corporate grants. However, grants are never a guarantee and even if they successfully fund the first two trips For the Love of Bears wants to build a sustainable program which goes beyond two trips to Katmai.

Corporate support and generous donors will be what makes Bear EDU - Field Edition a reality, and what keeps it going well into the future. Please get in touch with us if you find yourself in a position to help.