Mar 7
Ouray International Film Festival Ouray, CO
TicketsDr. Heather Johnson
Research Wildlife Biologist at the USGS Alaska Science Center
andCJ Brafford
Director of the Ute Indian Museum
Bears of Durango— Living in bear country in a time of climate change and increased tourism
Program Description
Black bears are major players in the ecosystems of southwest Colorado, but their presence has been complicated by a range of factors including climate change and expanding human presence across the state. To better understand the vital role of bears in our region, hear from bear scientist Dr. Heather Johnson—a subject of the film from Anchorage, Alaska—and CJ Brafford, Director of the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose, Colorado.
Film Synopsis
Dive headfirst into bear dens with the biologists studying how human development affects bear behavior.
In 2011 Colorado Parks and Wildlife initiated a major research effort to address increases in human-black bear conflicts. A team of wildlife researchers led by Dr. Heather Johnson has spent the past six years investigating the factors driving those increases and the effects of expanding human development on bear populations.
"If we want our native biodiversity here, if we want these large carnivores to be back on our landscapes, ultimately we're going to have to figure out, how do we coexist? How do we share a single landscape?” — Heather Johnson, PhD, Lead Wildlife Researcher
About the Speaker
Dr. Johnson is a Research Wildlife Biologist at the USGS Alaska Science Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Heather has a PhD in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana, a MS in Wildlife Science from the University of Arizona, and a BS in Ecology from the University of California, San Diego. Her research spans various topics related to large mammal ecology including behavior, population dynamics, human-wildlife conflicts, responses to climate- and anthropogenic-driven habitat change, and the effectiveness of management strategies. Prior to working for the USGS, Heather conducted research for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Dr. Johnson is traveling to Ouray from Anchorage for this special Science on Screen event.
CJ Brafford, a member of the Lakota Oglala Sioux Tribe, is the Director of the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose, Colorado. Brafford has made key contributions at the state and national level on preserving Indigenous history and educating audiences. In 2004, she took part in the Native Nations Procession, a key event leading up to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian’s opening ceremony in Washington, D.C. In 2018, she was honored with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service and, in 2022, she received the Colorado Women’s Day “Spirit” Award for her efforts in safeguarding and promoting Colorado’s Native American traditions and culture. In 2023, CJ joined our film festival at the Wright Opera House and Ouray School where she addressed students and community members about the history of the Ute peoples in Colorado. We are thrilled to welcome CJ Brafford back to Ouray for this screening.