Editor's note: With grizzlies coming out of their winter dens any day now, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation explains how its "Wildlife Brigade" works to reduce conflicts between bears and humans.

The grizzly bear population has steadily grown in Grand Teton National Park and the surrounding Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem over the last several decades, providing visitors to the area ever increasing opportunities to view these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. The presence of grizzlies adds to a robust population of black bears and, when combined with large numbers of park visitors, has increased the potential for conflicts between humans and bears. This has led to a variety of challenges for land and wildlife managers.

Grand Teton National Park launched the Wildlife Brigade in 2007 aiming to reduce the potential for negative interactions between bears and visitors. With support from Grand Teton National Park Foundation, this volunteer crew facilitates safe interactions between people and animals by managing roadside wildlife jams, patrolling picnic and camping areas for unsecured food, and sharing educational information with visitors.

Positions on the Brigade are highly sought after and with good reason—volunteers experience dozens of unforgettable moments throughout a summer on-the-job. Jeff Willemain has spent the last four seasons on the Wildlife Brigade, and recalls one particular day from his first summer on the team:

It’s a warm, clear day on Moose Wilson Road in the southern end of the park. Massive concentrations of choke cherries along the road are ripe and there seem to be bears everywhere. This day has been a hustle, bouncing from one end of the road to the other. As bears appear, people stop their cars to observe.

Spotting grizzlies in the wild in Grand Teton National Park is an awesome experience, but visitors need to keep their distance, especially when there are cubs around/GTNPF

I am standing on the side of the road trying to spot a bear cub that someone says has reappeared in the trees. About thirty people have parked and are standing on the road, curious about rumors of an earlier sighting. I hear sounds that are clearly from more than one animal and very close. It’s important that we respect their space and be safe by keeping an appropriate distance when searching for a good viewing spot.

I keep the cars moving while I answer all kinds of questions. Lots of folks seem to think I’m some kind of nature oracle because I wear a uniform, have a radio, and am standing in a national park.

We all hear cracking branches, then silence. There is a break in cars streaming by and the road is suddenly empty. A nose appears, and then a head peeks out of the bushes. It’s a black bear cub. A car heads towards us, but sees my upraised hand and stops, right where it should.  Another pulls alongside me, a local fellow, who says he’ll happily wait for “these bears to do their thing.” I am guessing the bears are going to cross the road and head for water on the other side.

The people behind me gasp as the bear appears. For most of them, this is their first sighting. About half are from overseas and they are ecstatic. Their expressions, especially the kids’, are priceless. It reminds me of how I felt when I saw my first bear in the wild.

The cub comes out of the bushes and drinks from a puddle on the road. Then a second cub appears. Seconds pass and we hear the mama bear. She gets to the middle of the road and majestically rises up on her hind legs to survey her surroundings. She then drops back down and gently nudges each cub as they complete their crossing, disappearing into trees in the distance.

The cars move, kids jump and chatter, families are thrilled, and I get five hugs, as though I somehow made these bears appear. It just doesn’t get better than this. Great people, stunning place, amazing wildlife, and witnessing the reactions of park visitors seeing their “first” makes this opportunity an absolute privilege.

It is moments like these that solidify the critical role this dedicated group of volunteers fills in Grand Teton. They are not only helping to ensure animals remain on the landscape, but also facilitating life-changing moments that instill a sense of stewardship in visitors. Thanks to Jeff and his colleagues, negative human-wildlife interactions have become a rarity in Grand Teton National Park, even amongst increasing grizzly presence. To learn more about this and other volunteer efforts in Grand Teton, visit www.gtnpf.org/volunteer-opportunities.