Greater Yellowstone Coalition and The Conservation Fund Partner to Add New Public Land Near Yellowstone

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 18, 2026 

CONTACT:  

Emilie Ritter, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, eritter@greateryellowstone.org  

Leigh Scheffey, The Conservation Fund, lscheffey@conservationfund.org  

Together with The Conservation Fund and U.S. Forest Service, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and partners have added 161 acres of new public land near Yellowstone National Park, forever protecting it from gold mining.  

In 2023, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition successfully extinguished the threat of a potential gold mine on Crevice Mountain, which sits along the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park, when it purchased the mineral rights, leases, and claims on nearly 1,600 acres from Crevice Mining Group.  

However, the remaining privately owned inholdings and mineral rights still presented the threat of development in a critically important area for wildlife. By purchasing private in-holdings and transferring them into public ownership, the partners are permanently protecting these vital lands from mining and development under the ban on mining enacted by the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act passed by Congress in 2019. 

“Protecting Yellowstone from the impacts of gold mining and securing new public land is a great outcome that benefits both iconic wildlife and local communities,” GYC Executive Director Scott Christensen said. “I’m proud to partner with The Conservation Fund, Forest Service, and private landowners to create a solution that ensures access and protection of these vital lands on Crevice and Palmer Mountains for generations to come.”  

Just above the town of Gardiner, Montana, Crevice Mountain rises some 3,000 feet above the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone River. The area provides vital habitat for grizzly bears; it is a critical migration corridor for elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep; and is one of the few designated places outside the park where Yellowstone bison can roam. Crevice Mountain overlooks nearly half the park all the way to the Teton Range.  

The project adds 161 acres to the Custer-Gallatin National Forest through two parcels — one acquired by The Conservation Fund and one by GYC—both conveyed to the Forest Service. The deal also transfers 208 acres of mineral rights to the Forest Service, with GYC donating lode claims to prevent future mining on Palmer and Crevice Mountains. The Conservation Fund — a national land conservation nonprofit — purchased and protected a 148-acre forestland parcel to complete this project.  

“The Conservation Fund is proud to partner in protecting this Montana landscape — where working lands, wildlife, and outdoor heritage are deeply connected. By securing land within this critical landscape on the edge of Yellowstone, we’re doing more than safeguarding a vital habitat. We’re honoring a way of life that defines Montana and ensuring future generations can experience the same wild, open spaces that make this place so special,” said Gary Sullivan, Montana senior advisor at The Conservation Fund. 

The Forest Service was able to purchase the two land parcels for about $2 million using the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which provides resources for everything from city parks and trails to big game habitat conservation. LWCF was permanently funded with the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act.  

Together, this partnership demonstrates what’s possible when private and federal partners work toward a shared vision for the future of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. By bringing these lands and mineral rights into public ownership, we ensure that Crevice and Palmer Mountains remain a refuge for wildlife, a corridor for migration, and a landscape people can experience and enjoy for generations to come. Protecting places like this not only safeguard Yellowstone’s remarkable natural heritage, but it also strengthens the entire ecosystem and the many communities that depend on it. 

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About The Conservation Fund  The Conservation Fund protects the land that sustains us all. We are in the business of conservation, creating innovative solutions that drive nature-based action in all 50 states for climate protection, vibrant communities and sustainable economies. We apply effective strategies, efficient financing approaches and enduring government, community and private partnerships to protect millions of acres of America’s natural land, cultural sites, recreation areas and working forests and farms. To learn more, visit www.conservationfund.org‍  ‍ 

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition is a regional conservation organization based in Bozeman, Montana. Its five field offices, strategically placed in Idaho, Wyoming, and on the Wind River Indian Reservation, create opportunities to work with all people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem now, and for future generations. For more than 40 years, GYC and our supporters have advocated for a science-driven, collaboration-focused, and forward-thinking approach to keeping lands wild, rivers free-flowing, and iconic wildlife moving throughout a connected and vibrant landscape.