The first part of the editorial recaps the record breaking black bear harvest this year with some concerns about the high increase in bear kills, yet sensibly continues on to research and discuss facts in how the wildlife mangagement officials will deal with any needed adjustments. This of course is in reaction to the management of goals of not radicating the bear from the woods of Pennsylvania but maintaining a manageable and healthy bear herd.
Then it is on to the Pocono problem which in not unlike human-bear problems in other parts of the country. The problem is humans encroaching on the habit of wildlife by building their homes and businesses on newly uprooted forests as a part of urban sprawl. When this happens, the residents soon discover there are bears living in the forests behind their homes and all sorts of things happen. The article explains those. I won’t go into it.
The importance of the entire editorial is one of sensibility. The writer admits to not being a hunter but is not against it either. They took the time to talk with officials to gather facts and assesses the problems in the Pocono area and looks at reasonable ways of making both events happen – that is bear survival and human development. This is a fresh approach to the one we usually hear about which is anti-everything, protests and tons of negative attention.
Tom Remington
