The Greater Yellowstone Coalition Recognized by Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee for Effective Conflict Prevention and Habitat Partnership

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Contact:

Emilie Ritter | eritter@greateryellowstone.org

Bozeman, Mont. - For more than 40 years, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) has been at the forefront of grizzly bear conservation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. At this week’s Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) winter meeting, GYC was recognized for its successful and sustained partnership with the U.S. Forest Service in bear-proofing campgrounds and restoring grizzly bear habitat across the region.

To date, GYC has helped secure more than 160 Forest Service campgrounds with the installation of almost 1,200 bear-proof containers across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s five national forests. The organization has also helped restore approximately 200-miles of illegal and closed roads on Forest Service lands, creating 80,000 acres of secure habitat for grizzly bears and other wildlife.

"Grizzly bear conservation is complex and only made possible through partnerships,” said David Diamond, IGBC Executive Coordinator. “IGBC is pleased to celebrate the sustained partnership for grizzly bear conservation and public safety between the five national forests in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition."

In April 2024, GYC delivered 39 bear-proof containers to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. When used properly, these containers prevent conflicts between people and bears and keep the bruins from becoming habituated to human food sources. This partnership is ongoing, and GYC and the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest plan to purchase additional bear-proof containers for campgrounds in the coming years. In 2025, GYC will continue working with the Caribou-Targhee and Custer-Gallatin national forests to restore habitat and increase security for grizzly bears.

“We're honored to be recognized by the IGBC for our grizzly bear conservation partnership with the Forest Service,” said Scott Christensen, GYC Executive Director. “By preventing conflicts in campgrounds and restoring fragmented habitat across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, we’re keeping people safe, bears wild, and ensuring that grizzlies will thrive on the landscape for years to come.”

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