2008 Bear Honoring
May 2-4
Spring is here, and
the Great Bear Foundation invites the public to join us in welcoming
the bears out of hibernation with the 9th Annual Bear Honoring.
This is a great opportunity to learn about the bears we share
our habitat with, see what it's like to eat like a bear, meet
other people with an interest in bears, and to get outside, celebrate
the arrival of spring, and try to see some bears in their natural
setting. First Nations people saw the emerging of bears from hibernation
as a rebirth, and GBF would like you to join us in celebrating
this rebirth.
Friday, May 2--4:00
pm, the sheltered picnic area of Greenough Park, Missoula
At 4:00, Chuck Jonkel,
President of GBF, will give a talk entitled The Spirit of
the Spirit Bear, followed by a presentation by Gary Wolfe,
Executive Director of Vital Ground, entitled Vital Bears,
Vital Ground.
5:30--Wild Bear Foods
Buffet. Eat like the bears eat! GBF staff and volunteers gather
local bear foods such as glacier lilies, dandelions, berries,
nettles, fiddle-heads, and we even throw in some elk and deer!
Everything is prepared the day of the Buffet. All are welcome!
This is a non-alcoholic event. Donations are appreciated!
Following the dinner
will be a presentation by Kootenai cultural preservationist Vernon
Finley, entitled The Kootenai and the Bears.
Saturday, May 3--10
am-8 pm, Flathead Valley
We will gather at
the GBF office, 802 E. Front Street, Missoula at 9am. We'll caravan
first to Salish-Kootenai College, and go on a tour of their Art
Department with the Director Corky Clairmont. Afterwards, we'll
spend most of the afternoon at the Kicking Horse Job Corps Powwow.
At around 3pm, Dr. Chuck Jonkel will give a talk in Whitefish
to benefit the Glacier Fund. All are welcome to tag along, or
stay at the Powwow. They will be serving food at the Powwow.
Sunday, May 4--8
am-midnight, Glacier National Park
We will depart from
the GBF office at around 8:30 am. We are renting a large van,
and anyone interested in reserving a spot on the van should call
829-9378. A $20 donation is appreciated, to help cover the rental
cost. We will drive straight to Glacier National Park. There has
been alot of snow in the Park, and the Sun Road may not be open
past Lake McDonald Lodge. We'll have to play it by ear, but we
will probably end up meeting at the Lodge at around noon. If they
open the road to the Avalanche Gate, plan to meet at the Gate.
We will meet our guest speakers, Steve Gniadek, Park biologist
and Vernon Finley. Vernon and Steve will join us on a walk up
Going to the Sun Road, talking about the Park's bear habitat and
watching for bears in the avalanche chutes. We will stop for dinner
on the way back to Missoula, and arrive by midnight.
All events are open
to everyone! Please let us know in advance if you plan to join
us on Saturday or Sunday. We hope to see you there!
The Great Bear Foundation
is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of
bears and their habitat around the world. The Foundation was created
in 1981, to be a voice for the bears. Everywhere wild bears exist,
they have been forced to adapt to habitat changes caused by human
population growth. In some cases, the bears have become so endangered
that they are on the verge of extinction. It is possible
for bears and humans to successfully coexist, but now it is the
responsibility of humans to adapt and learn about ways to live
with bears.
The Great Bear Foundation is primarily
a member-funded organization, and the generosity and support of
our members makes our work possible.
Check out Breaking
Bear News,
pictures of bears,
people,
etc
from our 2006 Arctic Ecology Field Course, and info on our upcoming
Bear Ecology Field Courses!
