On June 28, 2025, Utah Senator Mike Lee withdrew his American public land sell-off plan, which would have sold and privatized millions of acres of public land across 11 western states.

Over the past few weeks, hundreds of you raised your voice to defend a cherished corner of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from private development. The U.S. Forest Service is currently weighing a proposal from Grand Targhee Resort that would allow a significant expansion into the wild, undeveloped Mono Trees and South Bowl areas of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Thanks to your action, the call to protect these public lands is loud and clear.

GYC launches public lands protection campaign.

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition commends the Montana Legislature and Governor Greg Gianforte for listening to Montanans and making important investments and positive steps toward better protecting people and wildlife on our Big Sky highways.

Right now, members of Congress are working on a plan to sell off our public lands. The very lands that unite us as Americans, that pump billions of dollars into Western states’ economies, and that have been part of our heritage for generations. 

We need you to tell your Senators today that our public lands are NOT for sale. 

Montanans are folks of all kinds – ranchers, farmers, business owners, outdoorspeople, conservationists, and everyone in between. The Montana Legislature is a place where we all come together to make decisions about our home, and whether we agree or not, I see Montanans as folks who can disagree and remain friends. This attitude embodies the Legislature. We wrap up a lively session with a number of critical wins for Montana's lands and wildlife. 

Public lands at risk because the state Legislature is taking steps to weaken Montana’s constitutional right to clean water, air, and land.

Idaho’s passage of Senate Bill 1170 weakens cyanide mining safeguards by transferring oversight from environmental experts to lawmakers, allowing mining companies to operate with fewer safety rules despite cyanide’s well-known risks. This shift endangers Idaho’s clean water, wildlife, and outdoor heritage—resources GYC is working to protect in Kilgore, where a foreign, financially unstable company is exploring for gold. Without action, an open-pit, heap-leach cyanide mine could transform this unspoiled corner of the Centennial Mountains. 

Right now, members of Congress are proposing a plan to sell-off our public lands. The very lands that unite us as Americans, that pump billions of dollars into Western states’ economies, and that have been part of our heritage for generations.  

We need you to tell Congress our public lands are NOT for sale.  

A fourth-generation cattle ranch in Lincoln County is partnering with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition to improve winter habitat for elk, prevent disease transmission between cattle and elk, and protect the future of their ranching operation. Recognizing the need for alternative wildlife management solutions, GYC has developed innovative private land conservation agreements that reduce conflict between elk and cattle and help ranchers live alongside wintering wildlife.

Wyoming’s 68^th Legislative Session came to a close March 7, 2025, after eight tumultuous weeks. GYC’s Wyoming-based staff, our communications team, and Government Affairs Advisor Richard Garrett were entrenched in the day-to-day, and often minute-by-minute, action as many bills were moving through the legislative process. For the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to remain whole and intact we must actively engage with all stakeholders to craft sound policies that honor Wyoming’s tremendous wildlife, diverse habitats, and remarkable abundance of public lands. Your voice and support are critical for protecting our shared interest in this ecosystem.