The seminar featured presentations on the LECA project’s goals and the status of large carnivores in Poland and Slovakia, focusing on the pilot area in the Tatra Mountains, which includes the Tatra National Park and surrounding lands. We discussed monitoring practices, the damages caused by bears, and compensation processes. Experts noted that while Poland’s compensation system isn’t perfect, it functions relatively well compared to those in other countries.
A key highlight was Dr. Tomasz Wierzbica’s presentation on the risks posed by wildlife in urbanised areas, outlining Poland’s legal responsibilities for managing bear-related conflicts outside national park boundaries. In Poland, local authorities and police handle these situations, while Slovakia has a specialised intervention team, the so called Zásahový tím pre medveďa hnedého, specifically for brown bears. Although a similar group was proposed in Poland’s 2011 bear protection program, it was never been approved, leaving a gap that Tatra National Park staff have tried to fill informally.
Deputy Director Filip Zięba shared effective strategies for minimising bear conflicts within the park, noting that due to consistent efforts, such incidents with bears have nearly disappeared. This stands in stark contrast to the significant issues faced in the 1990s, particularly near Morskie Oko, where trash management improvements, including the removal of garbage bins and the use of electric fencing, played a pivotal role.
Both countries have tightened waste management regulations in their parks, yet the problem of bears rummaging through bins persists in nearby municipalities. Participants experienced this firsthand during an evening walk in Kościelisko, witnessing how some residents still leave trash out overnight, inadvertently attracting bears. A small change—like taking out the trash just before collection—could enhance both bear protection and residents’ safety.
We hope that the September meeting in Kościelisko and the ongoing LECA project will foster best practices for coexistence with large carnivores, ultimately reaching the communities surrounding the parks.