Gallatin Forest Partnership Calls on Montana Congressional Delegation to Permanently Protect 250,000 Acres of Public Land in Madison, Gallatin Ranges
The Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act will protect 250,000 acres of public land, clean water, recreation access, wildlife habitat
Photo GYC/London Bernier
Flying above the Gallatin and Madison ranges in a Cessna 206, the Gallatin Forest Partnership this week called on Montana’s elected congressional leaders to introduce legislation that will forever protect 250,000 acres of public land in the Madison and Gallatin ranges.
As Caleb Teigen, Gallatin Valley Board Member for Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Erin Steva, Montana Conservation Associate at the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, surveyed the peaks, valleys, rivers, and streams below, they shared the vision of the Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act through headsets – a vision that has been supported by more than 2,500 hikers, bikers, hunters, anglers, business owners, landowners, and more.
“Today, we’re calling on our Senators and Representatives to help protect Montana’s legacy – our public lands – by introducing the Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act,” said Caleb Teigen, Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Gallatin Valley Board Member. “Protecting the Madison and Gallatin ranges means future generations will get to chase rutting bulls, catch native cutthroat trout in our alpine lakes, and spend time with family and friends like I do today.”
The Madison and Gallatin ranges are some of the wildest places left in the United States, and they embody the Montana way of life. They provide clean drinking water to our communities, critical wildlife habitat to a wide range of species, and remarkable hunting, fishing, riding, and recreation access.
But Montana is changing, fast. Our public lands face more threats now than ever before. Flying over the outskirts of Bozeman and Big Sky, development can be seen clearly from above.
While the Madison and Gallatin ranges have some protections under the current Forest Service management plan, these protections are not permanent.
The Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act is a realistic solution to permanently protect 250,000 acres in the Madison and Gallatin mountain ranges, and the resources, activities, and freedoms they provide.
“We’ve seen our Montana delegation stand up for public lands this year. We see the Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act as a continuation of that.” Said Robin Barker, President of the Livingston Bike Club and Gallatin Forest Partnership member. “There is unprecedented pressure on our wild backyard, adding urgency to protecting the ways we currently recreate. The act does this, while fundamentally protecting the raw nature of ecologically sensitive land and clean water that we all enjoy.”
The Act will create new permanent protections for five areas in the Madison and Gallatin mountain ranges, including 102,000 acres of new Wilderness in the Gallatin Range and 22,000 acres added to the Lee Metcalf Wilderness, 31,000 acres of the Porcupine-Buffalo Horn area for wildlife, 70,000 acres in and around Hyalite Canyon to protect Bozeman’s drinking water while providing access to some of the area’s most popular trails, and 25,000 acres in the West Pine area southwest of Livingston for riders, hikers, and wildlife.
This flight was made possible by LightHawk Conservation Flying. Learn more about the Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act and join us in calling on the Montana delegation to continue to speak up for public lands at https://www.greateryellowstoneact.org/act.