Foix (Ariège, France) – A European seminar of the Parlement Avenir Montagne (PAM09) on the impact of large carnivores brought together representatives from Andorra, Spain, Slovenia, Romania, Norway, Sweden, Italy and France to address the growing challenges linked to bear populations in Europe’s mountain regions.

Over two days in October, elected representatives, farmers, shepherds, beekeepers and hunters, together with the presidents of the Chambers of Agriculture of the Pyrenees, exchanged experiences on the increasingly difficult coexistence between bears and pastoral activities. Testimonies highlighted the socio-economic and cultural importance of pastoralism and the need to maintain living, inhabited mountain areas.

Participants underlined that, in territories where bear numbers are high, the situation is similar across Europe: recurrent damage to livestock, heightened insecurity for those working in the mountains and a growing sense of imbalance between conservation objectives and the reality on the ground. Contributions from several countries, including Andorra, illustrated different approaches to supporting livestock breeders and improving damage management.

At the end of the seminar, a European charter on bear management was adopted, setting out common principles and proposals based on the discussions. The charter calls for fair and acceptable solutions for local communities, including more effective management tools, better prevention and compensation measures, and stronger recognition of the role of pastoralism in biodiversity conservation.

These exchanges will continue in a spirit of dialogue and shared responsibility, with the aim of building a coherent European framework that reconciles species conservation, the safety of rural populations and the sustainable development of mountain territories.