FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - When Florida's black bears come in contact with humans it often results in a death sentence for the bear involved, but it doesn't have to be that way. An event to let people know about ways to live responsibly in bear country will feature some simple steps residents can take to coexist with the Florida Black Bear.

Dave Telesco, a bear expert with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says securing trash would be a huge step in the right direction.

"Even in the neighborhoods that are kind of relatively new and right in the smack-dab middle of bear habitat, bears have no reason to linger if they don't have food."

Telesco says those who have studied bears that interact with people often say "a fed bear is a dead bear," and that feeding starts with unsecured trash.

"The number-one is garbage. If we got a handle on garbage, that would really solve most of the problem."

M.C. Davis is a naturalist at the Nokuse Plantation, a 48,000-acre private conservation tract in the Florida Panhandle. He says these bears would much rather not have anything to do with people.

"There's never in history, and I'm talking about the entire recorded history of Florida ever, not once has there been a documented attack by a black bear."

Special bear-proof trash containers, along with securing bird feeders and grills, are some easy ways to stop unintentionally attracting bears to the buffet.

The program on Saturday at the Emerald Coast Conference Center in Fort Walton Beach will feature the premiere of the film "Living with Black Bears," and information on bears from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Nokuse Plantation, Eglin Air Force Base, and Defenders of Wildlife.

The event on Saturday, March 6, will offer film showings at 9:45 a.m. and 2 p.m.