Blog and Stories
Looking ahead at GYC’s exciting 2024
Buckle up! It’s going to be a big year for GYC and the lands, waters, and wildlife of Greater Yellowstone.
Celebrating the conservation wins and favorite moments of 2023
Join us for a journey down memory lane and let’s celebrate all we did together for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Stories from the field: Searching for Wilderness in Idaho’s High Divide landscape
During the summer of 2023, GYC Wilderness Inventory Technician Andrew Jakovac traversed the High Divide landscape in search of areas with wilderness character. The photos, data, and GPS points he collected will help the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and GYC protect critical wildlife corridors, wildlife habitat, and open space in future forest planning processes.
The headwaters of the West: The foundation of a healthy Greater Yellowstone and beyond
Water is a defining, dynamic, and driving force in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The ecosystem’s wild rivers are so significant to its identity that Greater Yellowstone is often called “the headwaters of the West.” But what does it really mean to be “the headwaters of the West?”
Despite overwhelming opposition, Kilgore Gold Exploration Project approved
Last week, a U.S. District Court sided with the U.S. Forest Service and Canadian mining company Excellon Resources in a ruling that allows Excellon to proceed with the five-year Kilgore Gold Exploration Project, greenlighting exploratory drilling that puts the wildlife, rural character, and water quality of the foothills of Idaho’s Centennial Mountains and all those downstream at serious risk.
USDA announces historic investment in wildlife conservation with partnership expansion
The USDA recently announced a historic $40 million investment to continue an existing partnership to conserve big game migration corridors with the state of Wyoming and an expansion of this innovative effort to the neighboring states of Idaho and Montana.
GYC supports new public lands rule proposed by the BLM
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is seeking public feedback about balancing public lands management to focus on cultural lands protection, conservation, recreation, wildlife, and more.
Reflecting on another state legislative season in Greater Yellowstone
For the duration of the three state sessions, GYC’s advocacy team monitored proposed legislation and met regularly to discuss how the bills on our radar were evolving. Throughout the legislative calendar, we kept our eye on bills that fell within the scope of our mission and conservation priorities.
BLM seeks public comments on Upper Snake East Travel Management Plan
Take action for Yellowstone’s iconic wildlife in southeastern Idaho! Comment on BLM’s Draft Environmental Assessment for the Upper Snake East Travel Management Plan
Watching the Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho state legislatures
The legislatures are back in session in the great states of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, which means lawmakers have been sworn in, new bills are being introduced, and the GYC advocacy team is hard at work monitoring potential changes to state policy that affects Greater Yellowstone conservation.
Restoring forest habitat for grizzly bears and other wildlife
GYC has partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to review all five national forests surrounding Yellowstone National Park with the goal of identifying and subsequently decommissioning illegal, unnecessary, or unsuccessfully closed roads and restoring the roadbeds back to a natural state. The roads are prioritized for restoration according to their potential to benefit grizzlies and other wildlife.
We’re back in court speaking up for the lands, waters, and wildlife of Eastern Idaho
GYC is back in court challenging the Forest Service over their most recent approval of the Kilgore Gold Exploration Project. This exploration project—and the potential for open-pit, cyanide heap-leach mining down the road—continue to present serious threats to the values that make this area special.