Reyes being congratulated by Jamie Jonkel MFWP
We are very proud to announce that Jessica Reyes is the recipient of the 2022-23 International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) Special Grants Committee – Chuck Jonkel Scholarship Award!
Reyes has served as a Wind River Bear Institute (WRBI) Program Biologist since October 2019. Her work with WRBI has included Bear Safety education and outreach events at public schools, local events, the Bitterroot National Forest, libraries, and Homeowner Associations in the Bitterroot and Missoula Valleys, assisting Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks (MFWP) with human-bear conflict responses and risk-assessments, helping local communities and businesses secure bear attractants in the Bitterroot Ecosystem and surrounding areas. Jessica received the 2021-2022 fRI Bear Research and Fellowship IBA Special Grant award of $1,500.00, which enabled her to obtain the necessary equipment and software to begin to map the human-bear conflict “hot spots” of the Bitterroot Valley of Montana.
This grant and first stage of data analysis and mapping enabled her to present her initial findings at the IBA International Human-Bear Conflict Workshop in October 2022. This project also guided her master’s thesis proposal in progress and on-going work with WRBI and MFWP to identify the spatial and temporal nature of human-bear conflicts in Missoula and the Bitterroot Valleys for communities and agencies to target their resources and information more effectively. This on-going work uses Karelian Bear Dog “Wildlife K-9s” to facilitate communication between agencies and communities, and to verify conflict reports and predicted conflict hot spots.
Reyes with KBD Wildlife K-9 “Joni”
Reyes is currently a graduate student candidate at the University of Montana in the Geography Community and Environmental Planning master’s Program to foster safe human-bear interactions in the wildland-urban interface, with geographical and planning tools intertwined with conflict mitigation strategies. Simultaneously, she is pursuing two certificates in Geosciences & Technologies and Natural Resources Conflict Resolution, to improve the communication and relationships between agencies and communities. The IBA Chuck Jonkel Scholarship will enable her to continue this work in conjunction with MFWP and inform the Bear Smart Missoula Working Group as they prepare to implement the Missoula Bear Smart Community Plan.
A big THANK YOU to the IBA for helping support our work in Montana! GOOD JOB ON THE BEAR JESS!!!