We recap our 2025 favorite conservation moments and wins in Greater Yellowstone.

When the Roadless Rule was adopted in 2001, it followed one of the most robust public engagement processes in U.S. history. In stark contrast, the USDA initiated the current rescission process in August with a 21-day comment period and no public meetings. 

Before decisions are made that could permanently alter these irreplaceable landscapes, the American public deserves a meaningful opportunity to be heard.

Conserving the vast Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem often starts small. It begins with a conversation, a question, or the spark of an idea that grows into something much larger. That’s exactly what happened to Idaho sixth grader Olivia Nance. What started as a school research project on bison turned into a heartfelt effort that raised nearly $400 to support their conservation. 

A recent water quality study by researchers at Brigham Young University–Idaho found that streams near the Kilgore Gold Exploration site are highly sensitive to acid pollution, underscoring the risks that a potential open-pit, heap-leach cyanide gold mine could bring in this area.

Beaver dams slow water, create wetlands that store rain and snowmelt, recharge groundwater, filter out sediment, and provide critical habitat for Greater Yellowstone’s wildlife. In short, beaver activity makes landscapes more resilient to a changing climate—benefits Montana needs now more than ever. 

What we’ve learned over the last four decades, and even more acutely understood in just the last few years, is that conserving a place as big as Greater Yellowstone starts small. Conservation of this beloved region begins first in conversations with friends, stakeholders, and neighbors. It’s working together with all people to build home-grown solutions that protect iconic wildlife, our public lands, and the cold, clean waters that are the lifeblood of Greater Yellowstone. And it turns out that when we work together, we’re greater.

New study shows that Yellowstone’s ecosystem works best when bison are allowed to do what they’ve done for millennia—migrate freely across long distances, in large numbers.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission’s 2025–2026 wolf regulations uphold protections for Yellowstone wolves but also set a dangerous precedent by moving closer to a broad-brush, statewide approach to management. While we are relieved that Region 3 subquotas will help mitigate overharvest near Yellowstone, they remain too high given recent population declines. A one-size-fits-all statewide quota fails to reflect local management and conservation needs, making these regulations a concerning step in the wrong direction.

Today, we need you to speak up for Montana wolves as the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission meets August 21 to decide on the 2025-2026 wolf hunting and trapping season regulations proposed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Encourage the governor-appointed board to adopt regulations that are geographically tailored to meet the unique needs of each region in the state, maintain a scientifically sound quota in Region 3 that recognizes the $82 million wolf-watching economy in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and reflect a balanced, moderate, and science-based approach to wildlife management.

Managing grizzly bears is complicated. As Congress considers a short-sighted attempt to circumvent a science-based, public process for solidifying effective grizzly bear management strategies, there’s a need to ensure long-term durability and reliability for grizzly bear management.

Check out the new license plate design contest to raise awareness and support wildlife crossing structures, and to showcase Montana’s rich natural heritage and iconic migratory big game and other wildlife.

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.