Telling the Full Story of Greater Yellowstone
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition opposes the federal executive order and resulting actions that have removed or altered historical signage and interpretive content at national parks and historic sites across the country, including within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Teepees at Yellowstone National Park’s Northern Entrance. Photo NPS/Jacob W. Frank
Indigenous peoples have stewarded the lands, waters, and wildlife of Greater Yellowstone since time immemorial. Their histories, cultures, and living connections to this landscape are inseparable from the story of this place. Interpretive materials in our national parks and public lands should reflect the full and honest history of these landscapes. That includes the experiences and perspectives of tribal nations whose ancestors lived here long before these lands were designated as parks or battlefields.
Excluding or minimizing Indigenous voices risks repeating harms of the past and undermines ongoing efforts to build meaningful partnerships among tribal nations, federal agencies, conservation organizations, and state governments. Conservation is strongest when it includes many voices and ways of knowing. Indigenous knowledge and experience offer insights into wildlife migration, wildfire, water use, and landscape resilience that are essential to long-term ecosystem health. Equally important, Indigenous histories and cultural connections to these lands deserve recognition and respect.
We believe that telling a complete and inclusive history strengthens public understanding, deepens stewardship, and honors the many peoples who have shaped and continue to shape Greater Yellowstone and our nation. The full story of Greater Yellowstone – past and present – is incomplete without it. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition works in collaboration with tribal partners to elevate Indigenous knowledge and advance tribal conservation priorities that benefit nature and communities. We remain committed to working alongside tribal nations to ensure Indigenous perspectives and true histories are respected and shared.
– Greater Yellowstone Coalition Staff, [Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming]