What Is WIld Neighbor?
Wild Neighbor is a Southern California–based consulting and services business dedicated to reducing conflicts with American black bears (Ursus americanus) through proactive, non-lethal, science-informed strategies.
Johanna Turner
We offer:
Site-specific assessments to identify bear attractants
Deterrent installation and crawl space inspections to address bear activity
Guidance for homeowners, communities, commercial operations, and more
Wild Neighbor was created because we saw a need to help address a growing number of human-bear conflict incidents occurring in Southern California.
We complement existing wildlife management efforts by providing site-specific support at the property level where many conflicts originate.
We fill a critical gap in available conflict prevention resources, drawing from hands-on experience in the field.
Why Our Work Matters
Johanna Turner
Wild Neighbor helps to prevent:
Bears from becoming food-conditioned
Bears from becoming overly habituated to humans
Bears having to be euthanized
Property damage to homes, agricultural resources, businesses, and more
Conflict between (human) neighbors
Wildlife management agency and law enforcement need to respond
Meet the Director
“Effective conflict prevention begins with understanding — of bear behavior, human needs, and the habitats that we share.”
Hi, I’m Jessica West - but you can call me Jess! I’m a born and raised Southern Californian, and I’ve spent the last 20 years working at the intersection of wildlife, people, and the landscapes we share across California. Black bears have long been at the heart of my work and passion.
Wild Neighbor grew from a simple idea: helping people feel more prepared, informed, and connected to the wild around their home. During my time as a state wildlife manager and biologist, I worked hands on with black bears and closely with communities experiencing human-bear conflict in the foothills of Angeles National Forest and Los Padres National Forest.
These experiences shaped my belief that the best conflict prevention for bears is proactive — practical prevention, effective deterrents, and targeted education that helps people and bears share the landscape safely. My goal is to support communities with clear communication and practical problem-solving; empowering people with the knowledge and tools that will help us to live responsibly with bears, and to keep bears wild!
I’ve also worked across a wide range of other environmental fields, including biological consulting, habitat restoration and stewardship, zookeeping, and outdoor education. When I’m not thinking about bears, you can usually find me exploring California’s chaparral foothills, oak woodlands, and mountain trails — usually with family, friends, my husband Dave, and our dog Sage!
Check out this “Living with Bears” Presentation provided for the community of Topanga during Jess’ previous role as a State wildlife biologist
