Executive Summary
Black
bear management throughout the United States has become increasingly
complex with the profusion of contentious issues surrounding
bear hunting, human-bear problems, bear habitat conservation,
and trade in bear parts. Many Virginians are interested in observing,
photographing, hunting, or just knowing bears exist in the Commonwealth.
Unfortunately, bears sometimes damage agricultural crops or
residential property. Highway accidents involving black bears
have increased in recent years. Diverse values and opinions
associated with black bears provide unique management challenges
for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF).
In July
1999, the VDGIF started the process to develop the first statewide
black bear plan to help manage black bears in Virginia. The
bear plan describes the history, status, and future management
direction of bears in Virginia. It also identifies a framework
for what needs to be done and how to do it. By clarifying
goals and directions of black bear management, this plan will
assist the VDGIF Board of Directors, VDGIF administrators
and staff, and the public in addressing bear issues.
Wildlife
managers traditionally have focused on technical or scientific
aspects of resource management. Science-based principles have
played a major role in the success of bear management programs
in the past, but consideration for public values was often
lacking. Because VDGIF’s mission is "to serve the needs
of the Commonwealth," the process used to develop the
bear plan incorporated public values (e.g., economic, sociological,
and political) and biological considerations.
This plan
embodies the interests of all Virginians. Black bear stakeholders
focused on making value choices about bear management, while
wildlife professionals focused on the technical aspects. Diverse
stakeholders representing homeowners, sportsmen, nonconsumptive
interests, agricultural producers, commercial timber industry,
and resource management agencies participated in the plan
development process.
A 17-member
Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC), representing a cross
section of Virginians, was responsible for identifying the
values and goals that should drive bear management. A technical
committee, comprised of VDGIF staff with technical expertise
in bear management, designed objectives and strategies based
on values identified by the SAC.
Additional
public values were considered via focus group interviews,
regional meetings, and stakeholder surveys. A draft of the
bear management plan was extensively advertised to solicit
even broader public input. The final draft was presented to
and approved by the VDGIF Board of Directors on March 28,
2002.
The final
Virginia Black Bear Management Plan serves as a blueprint
for black bear management across the Commonwealth through
2010. The Plan includes sections on black bear life history,
program history in Virginia, program status (supply and demand),
management options, and program goals and objectives. Guided
by the VDGIF mission statement, the Virginia Black Bear Management
Plan includes 8 goals which specify the general directions
for: (1) bear population viability, (2) desirable population
levels, (3) habitat conservation and management, (4) hunting
seasons and demands, (5) ethics of bear hunting methods, (6)
landowner and citizen conflicts with bear hunting, (7) nonhunting
recreation, and (8) human-bear problems. Specific objectives
help guide the attainment of each goal. Preferred strategies
then clarify how each objective should be achieved.
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