CoexHuB

What enables transformative change towards human-bear coexistence?

CoexHuB investigates how people, bears, institutions, and ecosystems co-adapt across European landscapes, and how transformative change towards coexistence can be supported.

Bringing together ecological, social, and institutional research, the project explores the factors that enable or hinder human-bear coexistence. It establishes interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration networks through three coexistence hubs, spanning different ecological and social contexts: the Central Apennines in Italy, where the bear population is critically endangered; the Cantabrian Mountains in Spain, where the endangered population is gradually recovering; and Slovenia, where bears occur at higher densities and are actively managed.

In collaboration with local communities, practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers, CoexHuB integrates ecological, social, and institutional perspectives to identify priority areas for strengthening human-bear coexistence. By combining scientific and local knowledge, the project seeks to understand the transformative capacities of social-ecological systems that can foster coexistence and support the recovery of isolated bear populations. 

Building on these insights, CoexHuB aims to develop recommendations that help policymakers integrate bear conservation with socially legitimate, context-specific approaches to coexistence, connecting local initiatives with wider European policies.

Learn more: CoexHuB project website