A conference about people and bears, about coexistence.

The goal of the conference is to bring together the diverse views, skills and experiences of invited experts to contribute science-based proposals to improve the quality of people-bear coexistence as part of future urban and national policies. It will also contribute to the assessment of the current scientific situation of the brown bear population in Romania and to raising awareness of the gaps in people-bear coexistence, for the benefit of the local community. There is a clear intention to create a tradition, involve young people in scientific activity and provide a platform for national and foreign researchers to present their results.

Program of the Event:

The draft programme of the event is available here. Please note that the programme will continue to evolve throughout the event organisation process; however, the main programme elements—such as thematic sessions, field trips, the icebreaker event, and the gala dinner—will remain scheduled for the same days and broadly within the same timeframes. The organisers reserve the right to modify the programme until the close of the registration period.

20-23.10.2026: V.TusnadEcoBearConf Conference 

Sessions: 
1. Management of Large Carnivores
2. Best Practices and Technology
3. Policies and Law
4. Coexistence with Large Carnivores
5. Science for Communication

Dedicated Sessions:
Four Student Sessions 
Six Research and Conservation Project Sessions 

Additional Programs
Field trips:

  1. Saint Anne Lake – Mohoș Peat Bog Nature Reserve
  2. Băile Balvanyos (traditional baths, mofettas) visit
  3. Research and Development Institute for Wildlife and Mountain Resources visit
  4. Free time in Băile Tușnad: Falcon Stone nature reserve, Apor bastion

Publication opportunity

Research and Development Institute for Wildlife and Mountain Resources from Miercurea Ciuc, as a co-organizer of the TusnadEcoBear Conference 2025 invites you, to contribute to a SPECIAL ISSUE. As a speaker or participant to the Conference you are invited to contribute with a paper to the Journal for Mountain Resources and Environment which will be a partner of our Conference in the years to come.

Journal for Mountain Resources and Environment (JMRE) intends to publish open access, peer-reviewed papers that address the research, policy, planning, and practice related to natural resources. The journal looks for papers that expand natural resource management and conservation knowledge ranging from practical experience to advances in theory. The journal places special emphasis on transdisciplinary studies that connect findings to management and conservation outcomes to address which strategies work as well as which strategies fail.

The special issue dedicated to the TusnadEcoBear Conference, which will be also the first number of JMRE, the editorial team invites you as participant to the conference to prepare a:

  • Review. (max. 8000 words). Science-focused reviews should synthesize findings based on a well-developed scientific literature. Reviews should be explicit about the methods used to find the information and criteria on data curation.
  • Research Paper. (min. 4000- max. 6000 words). Research papers describing original theoretical, empirical or synthetic research.
  • Perspectives (max. 2000 words). Perspectives are opinion pieces that provide a forum for scientists and practitioners to develop ideas with broad significance to the JMRE topics. The focus can be on concepts, methods, applications, policy, or current or urgent conservation problems.
  • Letter (max. 1000 words). A letter is a short communication regarding topics of interest to readers, including observations on controversial subjects.

Your support for the JMRE start-up is essential to ensure a future for the promotion and dissemination of quality research in the Carpathians and beyond. The editors will be present at the conference to offer more information about their plans and how you can help this new initiative.

 

Contact at: contact@jmreri.com

For more information please contact the TusnadEcoBear Team

Event organisation, venue, accommodation, logistics and program:
Project Bag Association
Contact person: Imecs István
+40 743 775 213 / asociatiaprojectbag@gmail.com

Scientific coordination:
Research and Development Institute for Wildlife and Mountain Resources
Contact person: Mihai I. Pop
+40 740 201 079 / popmihai@icdcrm.ro

Networking and panel responsible:
WWF Romania
Contact person: Carmen Padurean
+40 730 098 100 / cpadurean@wwf.ro

Event Venue: Conference Hall of Hotel O3zone (Aleea Sfânta Ana 2, Băile Tușnad, Romania)

Organizers:

Co–organizers:

Funded by:

The organizers reserve the right to alter the program without prior notice.

The conference is organised as part of the project “Youth – Empowerment, Actions and Harmony for human-wildlife coexistence” (KA220-YOU – Cooperation partnerships in youth, project code: 2025-1-RO01-KA220-YOU-000359714), funded by the European Union and implemented with the support of WWF Bulgaria and ARCTUROS (ΑΡΚΤΟΥΡΟΣ), Greece.

The conference is also supported by:
– the “TusnadEcoBear: Connect & Conserve” project, which receives funding from Bears in Mind foundation;
– the Harghita County Council through the Csomád-Bálványos Intercommunity Development Association.