Announcing Advancing Bear Care 2011
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Mark your calendars! Advancing Bear Care 2011 will be held in Banff, Canada in bear country in the Canadian Rocky Mountains from Thursday evening, October 6th to Sunday evening October 9th 2011. Bear biologists and naturalists will lead hikes into bear habitat and interpret for delegates how bears use the components of the ecosystem to express their daily and seasonal routines. We will bring this information back into workshops and apply this knowledge towards improving captive bear husbandry. Also, international bear biologists will assist us in interpreting Asian, European, and South American bear habitats.
Our Hotels: We have booked a group of hotels all located in the same block right on the Bow River in Banff. The Banff Park Lodge also owns the Bow View Lodge and the Homestead Inn. Delegates will be able to book a room at one of three price points. You can stay at the Banff Park Lodge [four star hotel] for $135.00 per night - sleeps two - add $15.00 for a third person, or at the Bow View Lodge [three star hotel] for $110.00 per night – sleeps two – add $15.00 for a third person, or at the Homestead Inn [two star hotel] for $95.00 per night – sleeps two. All of the hotels offer clean, fresh rooms with various amenities, and are a two minute walk to dozens of restaurants and pubs at varying price points from McDonalds to international cuisine. Most meals will be offered at the conference but time will be set aside for delegates to experience Banff and the Rocky Mountains. All conference presentations and workshops will be held at the Banff Park Lodge. The arrangement of the hotels is reminiscent of a college campus for convenience.
Banff Park Lodge http://www.banffparklodge.com/
Bow View Lodge http://www.bowview.com/
Homestead Inn http://www.homesteadinnbanff.com/
The Agenda: Breakfast is served in our private breakfast room above the hotel lobby. We will meet in the lobby early to board buses to take us out to trail heads each morning [Friday, Saturday, and Sunday] for a guided 1-2 hour hike into bear habitat interpreted by bear biologists, returning to the hotels around noon. Lunch will be served in the conference suite [except for one where delegates can try Banff cuisine]. We will meet at the conference suite for or after lunch for afternoon species-specific workshops for problem-solving sessions lead by some of our captive bear experts. Delegates are asked to bring questions, photos, and other support materials of their current enclosures and husbandry issues to share with the delegates for discussion. Workshops will cater specifically to zoos, sanctuaries, and rehabilitation facilities. Dinner will be served at the conference suite [except for two where delegates can try Banff cuisine]. We will meet after dinner in the conference suite for evening presentations given by species specific bear biologists focusing on how wild bears use their habitat. In the large lobby attached to our conference suite we will offer registration, poster presentations, the silent auction, and the Bear Book and Art Den. Delegates are asked to present their latest work in poster presentations. The Bear Care Group is beginning a new tradition of presenting awards recognizing caregivers for their presentations and hard work.
Post Conference Trips: We are aware that some delegates need to be back to work after the weekend, but others can stay to sightsee.
We are thrilled to announce that we will offer a three day trip into the interior of British Columbia to visit the wonderful Northern Lights Wildlife Society http://www.wildlifeshelter.com/ / near the town of Smithers http://www.tourismsmithers.com/
We will travel there from Calgary by bus or air, stay over night in Smithers, visit the rehabilitation facility for one day, and travel back to Calgary [or delegates can travel onto Vancouver or other destinations] on the third day.
The Northern Lights Wildlife Society is distinguished by rehabilitating for release both American black bears and grizzly bears. Travel plans will be made as delegates express interest in the trip during conference registration. The trip is tentatively set for Tuesday, October 11th to Thursday, October 13th 20011.
On Monday, October 10th we hope to offer a full day trip to the Calgary Zoo. Arrangements are still TBA.
Your Travel; Delegates should fly to the Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada http://www.visitcalgary.com/visitor-information It is a destination airport from many US, European and Asian cities. From there delegates can purchase a round trip ticket to Banff with the Banff Airporter http://www.banffairporter.com/ directly from the airport to the Banff Park Lodge. A special price likely around $100.00 will be negotiated with the company.
Conference Registration: You will be able to register for the conference, conference workshops, hotel, Northern Lights Wildlife Society and Calgary Zoo trips, and Banff Airporter right on this website by January 2011 at the latest.
GET CONFERENCE UPDATES
Conference updates will always be posted on the Bearcare Yahoo Group list serv http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/bearcare/ You will be able to advertise your need for roommates, rides, conference questions etc on this list serv. To join just send an email to bearcare-subscribe@yahoogroups.ca
See You In Bear Country!
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