Team leader Mario Cipollone was born in the region and helped to create a vision for conservation and rewilding beyond the protected areas approach. Mario was one of the founding members of “Let’s save the bear”, a small NGO which focuses on the conservation of the species, and in 2018/2019 took over the management of Rewilding Apennines. Under his management, and with the support of local and European stakeholders, the NGO was able to scale up the model of the bear smart community – an approach that comes from British Colombia for the prevention and mitigation of conflict with bears. He has dedicated his life to protect the species and his commitment and perseverance are an example for the many volunteers who come to the central Apennines every year to work closely with the team.
Helpful links
Apply to become a Wildlife Heritage Area
