It is often said the only constant is change. Thinking back on the last two years—a global pandemic, GYC leadership transition, the 2020 election, accelerating impacts of climate change, a visitation and growth boom here in Greater Yellowstone to name a few—I would say that phrase rings very true.  

As the sole organization with a mission to work with all people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, we deal with change by carefully monitoring emerging issues and maintaining a commitment to evolution as conditions change. This means we do a lot of planning. This includes an extensive, organization-wide process every three to five years to develop the vision and goals for the next chapter of our work, i.e., we write a new strategic plan.  

Over my more than eighteen years at the organization, I have participated in developing five strategic plans. The new five-year plan GYC’s board adopted in June 2021 was my first as executive director, and I came away from the process more excited and determined than ever to make a positive difference for this remarkable place.  

To kick start the process and get our creative juices flowing, we created an Innovation Committee made up of staff and board members tasked with generating big, bold, innovative, and in some cases, far-outside-the-box ideas for how best to respond to the current threats and opportunities facing the region. This proved to be a great way to tease apart complex issues, challenge our past thinking and assumptions, and contemplate new, innovative approaches to conservation. Next, we launched the formal planning process with the help of our TREC consultant Don Elder (major kudos to Training Resources for the Environmental Community for their excellent resources and support). With Don’s guidance, we honed in on what we collectively agreed were the most important conservation priorities for Greater Yellowstone. Within each priority area, we then developed specific goals and indicators we will use to evaluate our progress.  

This new plan reflects a time of change for Greater Yellowstone—both exciting and troubling—and calls for unity in purpose, bold leadership, and innovative solutions. Our strategic conservation priorities include: 

• Conserving core habitat and enhancing landscape connectivity; 

• Protecting and restoring Indigenous conservation priorities that honor cultural landscapes, Tribal rights, and ways of life; 

• Protecting and balancing the needs of people and wildlife; and  

• Confronting the impacts of climate change. 

The plan also introduces a new message framework designed to strengthen our external communications and calls for raising additional funds to support new investments in our work with Indigenous people, in the climate arena, and in conservation innovation. Finally, the plan directs continued emphasis on building and maintaining an already excellent staff and board, as we work together to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization and movement.  

Greater Yellowstone is an extraordinary natural and cultural landscape, and I, along with my colleagues and many of you, aim to keep it that way. The next five years will be a period of profound consequence. With this plan, we commit to redoubling our efforts to safeguard one of the most remarkable places on the planet for generations to come—the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. 

—Scott Christensen, Executive Director

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the land of 49+ Indigenous Tribes who maintain current and ancestral connections to the lands, waters, wildlife, plants, and more.