Living With Black Bears - Wolf Trap National Park

Join Dr. Peter M. Mecca, Adjunct Professor, Educator, Scientist, and Fairfax Master Naturalist for a "Bare Facts" INDOOR presentation, in the beautifully renovated Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts Filene Center, on Living with Black Bears, an award-winning education and outreach initiative addressing human–bear interactions in Virginia, including locally in the DMV. This presentation is appropriate for all ages.

Gain an understanding of black bears, their behaviors and habitats, food sources, migration patterns and more. The session will offer practical, science-based strategies that can be used to reduce conflicts with black bears. Learn how to manage attractants and how to prevent interactions to help protect people, their pets, and other wildlife.

This project is a partnership between the Virginia Master Naturalist (VMN) program and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and received the 2025 Outstanding Volunteer Project Award from the Alliance of Natural Resource Outreach and Service Programs (ANROSP). The award recognizes volunteer-led projects that advance natural resource management and public education. Evaluations from more than 80 presentations Statewide show that participants leave better informed and more likely to adopt bear-smart practices.

Cost: Free For our staffing planning, please only register if you are certain you can make this event.

Meet: Presentation starts promptly at 11am.

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Drive behind the Filene Center to park in Lot 1. Enter through the backstage entrance, which is on the Toll Road side of the Filene Center building. Volunteers will guide you.

This is an indoor lecture, however, the Filene Center can be chilly in the winter so please dress accordingly.

Cancellation Information:

For the safety of participants and staff, this program may be canceled due to inclement weather . Registered participants will be notified via email and event pages will be updated if the program is canceled.

Photo Rights: Participants agree their photo may be used in future marketing.

Safety: We take safety at our events seriously. By attending this event, the partcipants accept all risks and will not hold organizers or volunteers liable for any injuries or other.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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