What We Do

Origin Story

The Ursa Project was formed in October 2022, taking its name from Ursa Major, also known as 'The Great Bear’, in tribute to a mother bear and her cub that were tragically shot and killed on a Friday afternoon in a residential neighbourhood of Nelson, BC. While one of the cubs managed to escape the conservation officer, it is uncertain whether he or she survived the winter (to read the story of this 2nd cub, see Hansella’s Story page). This heart-wrenching incident became the driving force behind The Ursa Project, and our logo was created as a way to honor and remember them.

Our Purpose

To support and encourage the implementation and municipal adoption and practice of BC’s Bear Smart Community Program, or portions thereof, that can have a significant impact on reducing or minimizing human-wildlife conflict within the city of Nelson.
To promote coexistence between humans and bears through increased public awareness, engagement and education, and increasing accountability and enforcement of wildlife protection regulations and bylaws.
To provide a forum for community stakeholders to share information and work towards solutions for minimizing human-wildlife conflict.
To foster a sense of community and government cooperation and participation, by collaborating with other wildlife advocacy organizations and municipal and provincial authorities.

By Łukasz Mularczyk - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Ursa Major