Show Up Like a Montanan: Protect 250,000 Acres of Public Land in Southwest Montana
Every now and then, we just need the quiet of the woods. There’s something in the stillness and the softness that can reset something deep and natural. When the world feels a bit weighty, I head to the outdoors. From Bozeman, I head to our wild backyard: the Gallatin and Madison mountain ranges.
Southwest Montana’s Gallatin and Madison ranges are some of the wildest places left in the continental United States and they are a great source of that quiet and clarity of mind for a lot of folks.
As Montana continues to grow and change rapidly, and our public lands face a new wave of significant threats, we have a duty to make commonsense choices today so that our kids and grandkids can enjoy the way of life we’ve grown accustomed to around here—the one where we have vast swaths of permanently protected and wild places to hunt, fish, hike, bike, camp, and experience wildlife in its natural habitat. This is the Montana way of life and it’s one worth standing up for.
That’s why the Gallatin Forest Partnership—of which the Greater Yellowstone Coalition is part – launched a television, radio, and digital ad campaign encouraging folks to Show up like Montanans and support the Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act—a solution to permanently protect 250,000 acres of public lands in the Gallatin and Madison ranges, and the resources, activities, and freedoms they provide.
“In Montana, our public lands are our way of life. Permanently protecting the Madison and Gallatin ranges is now more urgent than ever, and passing the Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act is the realistic solution to keeping these lands forever protected for all of us,” said Henry Glenn, president of Gallatin Valley Back Country Horsemen.
The Gallatin and Madison ranges provide clean drinking water to our communities, critical wildlife habitat to a wide range of species, and remarkable recreation access.
While some of us fish, some of us ride, some hunt, and some of us walk, something every Montanan does is live, breathe, and love this place. And right now, the Gallatin and Madison ranges need our help—our protection.
The Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act will conserve areas for wildlife migration, protect the headwaters of the Gallatin and Yellowstone rivers, maintain existing recreation uses, and designate nearly 124,000 acres of new Wilderness.
Developed by a widespread coalition of locals, the Act is a commonsense solution to protect southwest Montana’s public lands.
“Striking a balance between recreation and conservation is no easy task, and it's refreshing to see a partnership with such diverse viewpoints succeed in such divisive times,” said Robin Barker, president of the Livingston Bike Club. “As President of the Livingston Bike Club, I am proud of our involvement with the Gallatin Forest Partnership, and hope you’ll join me in standing up like a Montanan for this place we all love.”
Stand up today for Southwest Montana’s public lands, and a legacy that belongs to all of us.
— Erin Steva, Montana Conservation Associate (Bozeman, MT)