Click here to view photographs from this program. Photo credit: Paul King

Springtime can be prime time for encounters with black bears in North Carolina. Does the presence of black bears worry you, or do you like seeing them in your back yard? 

At Leadership Asheville Forum's March 22nd luncheon, Ashley Hobbs, the Assistant Bear Biologist from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, will discuss the natural history of black bears in Western North Carolina and how you can use that information to safely coexist with these remarkable animals.   Among the topics to be covered are:

• Bear behavior and biology in North Carolina

• The BearWise initiative, which provides ways to prevent conflicts, resolve problems and strategies to keep bears wild.

• What to do (and not do) in a bear encounter.

• A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

Ashley Hobbs, NC Wildlife Resources Commission

Ashley Hobbs holds a degree in Forestry Resources from the University of Georgia. After graduating in 2015, she worked with several state and federal agencies before joining the Wildlife Resources Commission in 2019. She assists the state black bear biologist with the management of bears and 17 other furbearing species statewide. She also is responsible for the implementation of North Carolina's statewide BearWise Program. 

Here are the details:

WHAT: LAF's March 22nd Critical Issues Luncheon

WHERE: The Country Club of Asheville, 170 Windsor Road

TIME: Food Service begins at 11:45am, the program at 12:15pm

COST: $25 for LAF members, $35 for nonmembers

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED, by Noon Tuesday, March 14th. RSVP to Nancy Williams