Support

Kodiak bears are currently doing well on most parts of the Archipelago and their wilderness habitat is intact. That hasn’t always been the case. In the past conflicts with ranchers and fishermen, and over hunting in some areas, were serious threats to these special animals. Fortunately, conservation-minded sportsmen appealed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and in 1941 he established the 1.9 million acre Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge by Executive Order. Since then, successful management of Kodiak bears has been accomplished by partnerships among diverse interest groups with a common goal of balancing needs of the bears with public recreation, commercial activity, and maintenance of a sound local economy.

The Kodiak Brown Bear Trust’s goal is to continue that success story by reinvigorating old partnerships and developing new alliances to meet the new conservation challenges that are inevitable. Expanding recreational activity, land disposal sales, road building, timber harvest, climate change, bear-human encounters in urban areas, and inconsistent salmon escapement are some of the issues that currently raise concerns and will give rise to their own unique problems. The Kodiak Brown Bear Trust intends to continue as a catalyst in helping biologists and managers monitor population status and address these challenges.

To be an effective force in Kodiak bear conservation, the Kodiak Brown Bear Trust will need help from conservation-minded citizens, organizations, and businesses. The Kodiak Brown Bear Trust is a non-profit organization, directed by volunteer Trustees, that relies on tax-deductible contributions to conduct its work. Any and all contributions are important and will be directed towards those activities that will be of most benefit to Kodiak bears and the people who share the island with them.