Our Mission and Vision
We work with all people to protect this remarkable landscape.
Greater Yellowstone is home to an astounding array of native wildlife and its wild rivers are the headwaters of the West. It is of deep importance to more than four dozen Indigenous Tribes with historic and cultural ties to the ecosystem. Those who live here – and those who visit – know there is no place like it in the world.
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is an extraordinary natural and cultural landscape. At the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, it’s our job to keep it that way.
Our offices, strategically placed in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho allow us to engage in a wide variety of efforts locally, regionally, and nationally to ensure Greater Yellowstone's lands, waters, and wildlife are protected now and well into the future.
Our Mission
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition works with all people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, now and for future generations.
Our Vision
We envision a Greater Yellowstone where wild nature flourishes; plant, animal, and human communities thrive in reciprocity; and all people work together to conserve this globally significant ecosystem.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition envisions a Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem where plant, animal, and human communities exist in reciprocity.
We know we will only achieve this through work that is inclusive of the lands, waters, wildlife, and diverse communities of this region. For too long, the Western conservation movement has excluded and ignored diverse voices and perspectives, causing harm and creating a weaker movement as a result.
It is our responsibility to find and embrace our role in changing the existing paradigm by advancing diversity, inclusion, and equity within our organization, our culture, and our corner of the conservation movement. We commit to doing so because:
It is the right thing to do.
• Our organization’s stated values are integrity, innovation, collaboration, excellence, and inclusion.
• It is our responsibility to ensure GYC has an inclusive and equitable organizational culture where diverse staff, board, and community members feel welcomed to bring their unique experiences and perspectives to the table.
• As a conservation leader, we have the obligation to identify and interrupt oppression and inequity within the scope of our work.
It is the smart thing to do.
• Our work will be more effective and enduring if it incorporates the perspectives, knowledge, and skills unique to the diverse individuals and communities within Greater Yellowstone.
• Our movement will be stronger and more sustainable with the involvement of a broader, more diverse supporter base.
How We Work
Science-driven, collaboration-focused, forward-thinking.
As the only organization solely dedicated to protecting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, we are tasked with understanding its ecology, cultures, politics, laws, and most importantly, how to effect long-term change.
We believe in the power of working together. We are creative thinkers and aren't afraid to think big when it comes to achieving our goals and advancing our mission. We build authentic and trusting relationships. We believe in what we do.
What Drives Us
Unity and Place
A shared love of Greater Yellowstone inspired the creation of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and continues to drive our work every day. We are committed to the long game of building broad and diverse support for enduring conservation outcomes, working toward solutions that outlast political shifts. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is for everyone.
Meaningful Relationships
To inspire and unite a larger movement, meaningful relationships must be created. We commit to a more deliberate expansion of these relationships to include those traditionally overlooked and excluded. We seek to learn from and collaborate with diverse people and communities to honor their interests, rights, and values as we work together to advance initiatives that benefit this place and its people.
Accountability
This exceptional place, on whose behalf we are privileged to advocate, deserves our best efforts. We effect change by setting big, bold goals and working hard to accomplish them through creative and strategic means. In all our work, we strive for excellence as we track our progress, learn from our failures, and celebrate our successes.
Innovation and Scale
In times of rapid change, innovation and adaptability must be central features of our culture and programmatic strategy. This requires a willingness to support each other in thinking differently, taking risks, and acting boldly. It also means we use the best available science, and increasingly, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, as we pull from a diverse toolbox of strategies and tactics to adapt to change.
