Our Mission and Vision
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.
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 lands, healthy rivers, and abundant wildlife endure; communities thrive in reciprocity with nature; and people work together to conserve one of the world’s last intact ecosystems.
Our Land Acknowledgement
Indigenous peoples have stewarded the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem since time immemorial. Today, at least 49 tribes, including the Blackfeet, Crow, Eastern Shoshone, Northern Arapaho, Northern Cheyenne, and Shoshone-Bannock, hold deep spiritual and cultural connections to these lands through relationships rooted in reciprocity and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. We acknowledge the harms of displacement, the loss of Indigenous stewardship, and the exclusion of Native voices. We commit to a better path, one that is grounded in partnership. Our work is strongest when it reflects diverse voices and ways of knowing. We honor tribal sovereignty, support Indigenous leadership, and partner with tribes to advance a more inclusive and enduring future for Greater Yellowstone.
Our Core Values Define How We Work
Protecting an ecosystem as large and complex as Greater Yellowstone requires people to work together across communities, cultures, and political boundaries. We know from experience that we are greater together, working with all people to achieve durable solutions for land, water, and wildlife.
How we work is guided by the organizational values that define our culture and strategy:
INTEGRITY
We build relationships and operate with honesty, trust, and respect within our teams and outside the organization.
INNOVATION
We think big and creatively to advance new, effective, and inspiring ways to achieve our goals.
COLLABORATION
We believe in the power of working together. We strive for a positive, collaborative work environment and respectful partnerships.
EXCELLENCE
We put our best foot forward, holding ourselves to a standard of excellence that ensures our work is credible and effective.
INCLUSION
We welcome all and value individual differences within our team, on our board, and in the communities in which we work.
These values drive our strategic approach to conservation, enabling maximum impact through solution-oriented coalition-building and the application of sound science, policy expertise, thoughtful advocacy, and innovative tools. We focus on the places and issues that matter most to the health of the ecosystem, prioritizing a nimble stance that allows us to pivot in times of uncertainty.
Our work is values-based and human-centered. It is designed to be durable through political change. We build strong relationships forged on common ground and pursue solutions that benefit nature and people. Our values and strategy include a commitment to support and partner with Tribal Nations, whose conservation priorities and knowledge shape our work on the Wind River Indian Reservation and across the region.
We are a team of problem solvers and leaders who share a love for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Our mission and values distinguish the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and drive a conservation vision that will endure for generations to come.
