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The quarterly journal of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition 

GREATER 

A 

YELLOWSTONE 

Advocate 

Yellowstone’s 

other 

wildlife 

bighorn sheep 

lynx 

wolverine 

moose 

greater 

sage-grouse 

www.greateryellowstone.org volume 29 • number 1 spring 2012

Volume 29 • Number 1 

Greater Yellowstone Advocate is the quarterly journal of 

the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. 

Articles reprinted by permission only. 

Editor: Jeff Welsch 

Graphic Design & Layout: Chris K. Grinnell 

About the Cover: King of the Hill. Photo: Rick Konrad. 

A bighorn sheep ram watches over his turf from a perch 

high in the mountains of northwest Wyoming. 

articles • 

Beyond the big three: 

Elusive wolverine, lynx, bighorn sheep 

& moose face challenges, too....................6 

Are greater sage-grouse reaching 

point of no return?......................................8 

A big victory for solitude, wildlife on 

the wild Gallatin........................................ 10 

Newest threat to southeast Idaho 

wildlife, recreation habitat: UTVs.....12 

It’s time to start over on flawed 

Wyoming wolf plan....................................15 

Bison tolerance expands in fits and 

starts................................................................ 19 

Next up on the Absaroka-Beartooth 

Front: Shoshone forest plan...................20 

Features • 

The View From Greater Yellowstone 

The executive director’s report............. 2 

Around the Ecosystem 

Thumbs up, thumbs down........................... 3 

The Best of the GYE: 

5 Key strongholds for cutthroat 

trout in the GYE......................................... 4 

Say What?.......................................................... 4 

Member Profile: 

James Weber.................................................. 5 

Upcoming Events........................................... 9 

Local News 

Montana....................................................... 16 

Wyoming - west........................................... 16 

Idaho.............................................................. 17 

Wyoming - northwest.............................. 17 

Membership Update................................... 18 

Parting Thoughts....................................... 22 

Your Voice...................................................... 23 

One More Shot............................................. 24 

To download this and previous issues of 

Greater Yellowstone Advocate in PDF format, go to: 

2 

www.greateryellowstone.org/newsletters/ 

Tthe view from 

greater yellowstone 

by Mike Clark, executive director 

The year 2013 will mark GYC’s 30th anniversary. We hope to use 

the occasion to celebrate the wide range of work being conducted 

in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, ranging from what private 

groups are doing to protect private lands to the enormous amount 

of stewardship and scientific work under way on the public lands 

that comprise roughly 80 percent within the ecosystem. 

We will not hold our usual annual conference in 2012 because we want to concentrate our 

resources on expanding the 2013 Annual Meeting into a much larger gathering. We hope 

then to engage a full range of non-profit groups and public agencies in creating a broad 

vision for the Greater Yellowstone region looking at the challenges over the next 30 years. 

We also hope this larger event will attract a wide range of people from around the country 

who want to learn more about what is happening here. We will create opportunities for 

leading scientists and experts to talk about the emerging, cutting-edge science that is 

taking place in the region. 

We invite you to our Annual Membership Meeting. It will be an abbreviated gathering 

compared to past meetings. It will be held on June 16 at our new headquarters in Bozeman, 

Mont. and will include a picnic, evening speaker, and possibly some field trips. The focus will 

be on our campaign to protect the Gallatin Range. Please watch our website for details of the 

agenda as it develops. 

We recognize that this is a significant departure from our long-standing tradition of 

staging an event that provides an annual gathering place for activists and for citizens 

who use the opportunity to meet old friends. But this change will allow our staff to focus 

on the larger 2013 event and to engage other non-profits in a broader dialogue to increase 

participation. It will also enable us to have an event that will more fully celebrate the wideranging 

work occurring throughout the region. The next issue of the Advocate will carry more 

details about our plans for 2013. 

We look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events. And we especially look 

forward to a larger 2013 celebration of the wonders and diversity of Greater Yellowstone. 

We will be in touch with each of you as our plans unfold. Let me know if you have 

concerns about these changes. 

Greater Yellowstone Advocate • SPRING 2012

Thumbs up, Thumbs Down 

1 – Back to drawing board for SE Idaho dam 

To the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

(FERC), for telling Twin Lakes Canal Co. that its 

license application to build a new dam on the Bear 

River in southeast Idaho needs a lot more work. Twin Lakes’ 

license is “considered deficient” in many ways and the “proposal 

lacks sufficient detail for Commission staff to conduct its 

required environmental analysis.” The agency’s comments will 

set back Twin Lakes’ ill-advised proposal for a year or more as 

it gathers new data on the dam’s impacts on the Bear’s last freeflowing 

stretch. 

Aaround the 

ecosystem 

3 

2 

2 – Shoshone recognizing climate impacts 

To Shoshone National Forest supervisor Joe 

Alexander, for acknowledging that a warming climate 

is a reality and that the forest’s upcoming management 

plan must include climate change considerations. “We have to 

create a plan that’s flexible and acknowledges the kind of things 

climate change can potentially do to our forest. We’re trying to 

be proactive,” Alexander said. The Shoshone — America’s first 

national forest — is one of four in the country participating in 

a pilot project studying climate change. A new climate report 

shows that temperatures in the Shoshone have increased by an 

average of 3.6 degrees over the past century, and modeling in 

GYC’s “Yellowstone In Peril” report (www.greateryellowstone.org/ 

climate) suggests potential temperature increases of more than 

9 degrees in Greater Yellowstone. As part of the forest planning 

process, Alexander said, the Shoshone is asking cooperators to set 

aside their political differences on climate change. 

3 – Rehberg ignoring Montanans’ wishes 

To Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg, who scuttled 

inclusion of the broadly supported Forest Jobs 

& Recreation Act in the 2012 spending package 

passed by Congress before Christmas. The made-in-Montana 

bill — which will permanently protect almost 700,000 acres 

of new wilderness in western Montana, much of it in the 

wildlife-rich High Divide area west of Yellowstone National 

Park — originally was included in the Senate version of the 

appropriations package. GYC helped mobilize Montanans to 

produce a high volume of phone calls and emails urging Rep. 

Rehberg to support the bill, but as of mid-February he had yet 

to change his mind. 

1 

Check out www.greateryellowstone.org 

for all the latest information. 

“The frog does not drink up the 

pond in which it lives.” 

– Chinese proverb 

www.greateryellowstone.org 

3

The Best of the GYE 

5 key strongholds 

for cutthroat 

trout in the GYE 

Paul Schullery 

1. Yellowstone Lake 

Once the safety-deposit box for 

Yellowstone cutthroat, Yellowstone Lake 

is now in danger of losing its native trout 

altogether due to the illegal introduction 

of lake trout (mackinaw) in the 1980s. 

The Park Service, supported by GYC 

and other organizations, is undergoing 

a massive lake trout suppression effort 

to save the cutthroat. Yellowstone Lake 

and its tributaries are so important to the 

future of the Yellowstone cutthroat that 

if suppression isn’t successful the trout 

could reach endangered status. 

2. Greybull River 

The Greybull emerges from some of 

the wildest parts of the Absaroka- 

Beartooth Front and cuts across 

Wyoming’s wildlife-rich Pitchfork 

Ranch toward Meeteetse. These 

sparkling cutthroat waters could be 

threatened by oil and gas development 

if high-level protections aren’t afforded 

to the Front in the Shoshone National 

Forest’s upcoming management plan. 

3. Teton River 

Best known for a 1976 dam collapse 

that killed 11 people, the Teton is 

an important tributary to southeast 

Idaho’s world-famous Henry’s Fork 

of the Snake River. The State of 

Idaho is studying the feasibility of 

rebuilding the dam, which would 

destroy Yellowstone cutthroat 

habitat and wipe out the tremendous 

fishery population in the Teton’s 

canyon section. Conservation 

groups are encouraging state officials 

to pursue less expensive and less 

damaging ways of addressing water 

needs in the region. 

© 2011 Dave Showalter/iLCP 

Beaverhead 

National 

Forest 

RED ROCK 

LAKES N.W.R 

4. Hoback River 

This pretty little stream south of 

Jackson, Wyo., isn’t known for its big 

fish, but it is popular among anglers 

for its easy access and delightful 

backdrop. The Hoback starts in the 

Gros Ventre Range and flows into 

the Snake River. Designated Wild 

& Scenic in 2009, the Hoback made 

American Rivers’ top-10 list of 

threatened streams in 2011 because 

of plans for industrial-scale natural 

gas drilling. 

Caribou- 

Targhee 

National 

Forest 

GRAYS LAKE 

N.W.R 

Say What...? 

“Nothing is the same anymore. There’s no 

way that we’re not going to have to deal 

with climate change.” 

Gallatin 

National 

Forest 

3 

— Joe Alexander, Shoshone National 

Forest supervisor, on the Shoshone’s 

upcoming Forest Plan 

5. Boulder River 

The Boulder, which carves a valley 

between Montana’s Absaroka and 

Beartooth ranges, is one of Greater 

Yellowstone’s purest streams. The 

threats to native cutthroats here are 

not from industrial development but 

from an abundance of such non-natives 

as rainbow, brown and brook trout. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has 

begun a program to restore genetically 

pure native Yellowstone cutthroats 

to 18.5 miles of the upper Boulder. 

Yellowstone cutthroats are listed as a 

“species of special concern” in Montana 

because of shrinking numbers. 

Yellowstone 

National 

Park 

1 

Grand Teton 

National 

Park 

NATIONAL 

ELK REFUGE 

4 

5 

Custer 

National 

Forest 

Shoshone 

National 

Forest 

Bridger-Teton 

National 

Forest 

the best of the gye: strongholds 

2 

4 


RU4YNP? Campaign 

Reaches Belize 

GYC’s RU4YNP? Campaign has reached Central America! Now, it’s 

your turn to show your support for Yellowstone National Park! 

Purchase a T-shirt for $20, upload your own photo, and help 

spread the word! 

Visit our Facebook page to watch 

an inspiring video showcasing the 

beauty of the world’s first national 

park and others who have already 

joined the campaign. 

Tom Murphy 

Not on Facebook? Visit our website to view photos and learn more about the 

campaign. 

www.Facebook.com/RU4YNP 

www.greateryellowstone.org/RU4YNP 

Not online? Simply call us with your order at 800-775-1834. 

Proceeds benefit Yellowstone National Park and the lands that surround it. 

Celso Poot is 4YNP! 

MEMBER PROFILE 

James Weber 

“I have had the fortunate opportunity to grow up and live in 

both Idaho and Montana, and I have experienced first-hand the 

wonderful people and the amazing natural landscape that are 

all part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Supporting and 

being involved with GYC comes from unforgettable experiences 

recreating in such an epic and mostly untouched landscape and 

recognizing the need and importance of conservation. 

Living in Bozeman for the past three years has exposed me to the 

certain spirit that this community and many others in the GYE 

have. That rare spirit is a fusion of people and place, and keeping 

that relationship alive and flourishing for the future generations 

is what I see as important.” 

— James Weber, Montana State University student, Bozeman, Mont. 

www.greateryellowstone.org 5

Beyond the big three 

Elusive wolverine, lynx, bighorn sheep and moose face challenges, too 

by Scott Christensen, Climate Change Program Director 

A 

classic trip to Yellowstone usually includes 

looking through the windshield at herds of 

bison and elk. Occasionally a bear or wolf will 

come into view and provide a thrill to those intrigued 

by sharp-toothed creatures. If you put in the time and 

know where to look, a moose or bighorn sheep might 

reward you with an appearance. Far less common is an 

encounter with the elusive wolverine or lynx. 

This is part of what makes Greater Yellowstone so 

magical – never knowing what you’ll encounter when 

you venture outside. 

We know that this region is one of the few places in 

the American West that supports a full complement 

of predators and prey. 

But it’s easy to lose track 

of Greater Yellowstone’s 

lesser-known species, 

especially when the big 

three – bison, wolves and 

grizzly bears – dominate 

the local courts and 

newspapers. What does 

the future look like for 

wolverines, lynx, bighorns 

and moose? Will they 

continue to roam 

Greater Yellowstone’s 

peaks, forests and river 

corridors? 

We hope so, but climate change and other pressures 

could push them to the very edge. 

If you attended GYC’s annual meeting in September, 

you heard renowned writer and wolverine junkie 

Doug Chadwick paint a picture of a secretive, 

mountain climbing machine that lives life fearlessly 

in the high crags of the Northern Rockies. Although 

tough enough to try running a grizzly off a carcass, 

wolverines are also extremely vulnerable to the effects 

of a warming climate. A study carried out by the 

National Center for Atmospheric Research found 

that climate change threatens wolverines in two ways: 

reducing or eliminating the spring snow cover they 

use to protect and shelter their young, and increasing 

August temperatures beyond what the species can 

tolerate. Recent climate modeling suggests that Greater 

Yellowstone may be a key climate refuge for wolverines 

as temperatures across the West continue to warm over 

the coming century. 

Hair samples and tracking surveys confirm the 

presence of the rare lynx in Greater Yellowstone, but 

the number of cats is very low. With its enormous 

padded feet and relatively light weight, the lynx was 

built for hunting on deep snow. Its main prey source, 

the snowshoe hare, is likewise adapted to the same 

snow conditions and dense forests. As temperatures 

warm and snow diminishes at lower elevations, lynx 

are likely to lose key winter habitat, forcing them to 

6 


especially in the area surrounding Jackson Hole, Wyo. 

Since the early 1990s, the moose population around 

Jackson has declined from 4,000 to less that 1,000 

for reasons that aren’t entirely clear. Biologists know 

that moose are extremely sensitive to warm winter 

temperatures and some evidence suggests the warming 

trend over the past four decades could be compounding 

such other factors as habitat loss, predation and disease 

transmission. Parasites such as winter ticks and carotid 

artery worms, which might be benefiting from warmer 

temperatures, have been documented at concerning 

rates in these herds. 

As we work to safeguard better-known species such as 

the bison and grizzly bear, it’s important not to forget 

the rare creatures we seldom see. With the support 

of our loyal membership, our advocacy to protect not 

only the wild core of Greater Yellowstone but also the 

surrounding lands, waters and wildlife is crucial in a 

time of climate change and increased human pressures. 

Help us stand up for the Absaroka-Beartooth Front, 

Gallatin Range and southeast Idaho’s roadless lands 

so that Greater Yellowstone’s rare species have a better 

chance to survive an uncertain future. As the great 

conservationist Aldo Leopold wrote, “To keep every 

cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent 

tinkering.” Let’s make that our goal. 

expand their ranges and compete with other predators. 

Lynx have a precarious foothold in Greater Yellowstone 

and could very well vanish in the near future. 

Like wolverines, bighorn sheep spend much of their 

time perched on the roof of our region. Once widely 

distributed across the West, bighorns now persist in 

small, isolated bands vulnerable to sudden population 

declines caused by disease, habitat loss and the severing 

of migration routes by roads and other development. 

Long term, climate change threatens to push bighorn 

habitat higher and higher, illustrating the challenge 

facing narrowly adapted high-elevation species. The 

higher they go, the smaller the habitat. 

WIldlife refugia. Though grizzly bears, wolves and bison garner most of the 

attention in Greater Yellowstone, moose, lynx, wolverine and bighorn sheep are part 

of the wildlife tapestry that make this ecosystem one of the most complete on Earth. 

Photos, from left: Chris K. Grinnell, Photos.com, Photos.com, Rick Konrad 

Moose have long been an icon of Greater Yellowstone, 


The lek of the greater sage-grouse. The greater sage-grouse measures up to 30 inches in length, stands 2 feet tall, and weighs as much as 11 pounds. The male is easily 

recognizable by its fanned, white-tipped tail feathers and the large, inflated air sacs on its chest, which are used to project its unique mating call. Photo: GYC Archives 

Are greater sage-grouse 

near a point of no return? 

Habitat degradation threatens bellwether of the high desert 

by Marv Hoyt, Idaho director 

Before European settlement more than a century 

ago, up to 16 million greater sage-grouse inhabited 

the West. Today, with about 44 percent of the 

sage-grouse’s habitat lost to agriculture, intensive livestock 

grazing and energy development, it is estimated that no 

more than 500,000 of the unique birds remain — and they 

could be sliding toward extinction in the region. 

The greater sage-grouse, which is the largest member 

of the grouse family and is perhaps best known for its 

elaborate courtship displays on breeding grounds (leks), is a 

sagebrush-obligate species. Its survival depends entirely on 

large, healthy stands of the high-desert plant. 

Though much of the sage grouse’s landscape has 

disappeared, fortunately the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem 

is still home to several of the remaining larger populations. 

Two-thirds of this habitat occurs on lands managed by the 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Forest Service. 

In 2010, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service determined 

that the greater sage-grouse warranted listing under the 

Endangered Species Act due not only degradation of habitat 

but also ongoing threats to remaining sage country. But the 

agency also said that listing the sage-grouse was precluded 

by higher priority listing actions. 

In response to the ongoing threats, as well as the Fish & 

Wildlife Service’s determination that listing is warranted, 

the BLM and Forest Service have begun to grapple with 

how best to conserve sage-grouse and its habitat. As a first 

step, the agencies have asked the public to advise them on 

what types of protective measures should be implemented. 

The bird’s future could well depend on strategies the BLM 

and Forest Service produce. 

GYC believes that for the greater sage-grouse to persist and 

populations to recover, the BLM and Forest Service must 

include strong and consistent protective measures in all 

future actions or decisions that might affect the species or its 

habitat. GYC — and many of you — sent comments with 

specific suggestions and will continue to remain engaged. 

8 


Donate and make less of an impact! 

Environmentally, that is. 

Join our monthly or quarterly giving club and help GYC with a reliable and dependable source of 

support to protect Yellowstone’s natural treasures. Additionally, you will save us time and resources by 

reducing paperwork! Donations can be made by credit card, monthly withdrawals from your checking 

account, or online signups. 

If you have questions or would like to set up your monthly or quarterly giving over the phone, call 

Jessica DeJarlais at 800-775-1834. 

2012 Annual Drawing! 

Tickets to this year’s 

Annual Drawing will be arriving 

in mailboxes at the end of March. 

Don’t miss your opportunity 

to win one of this year’s 

great prizes, including trips, 

art, outdoor gear and more! 

The GYC staff in front of our new headquarters in Bozeman, Mont. 

Upcoming Events 

For more information on any of these events, please call 800-775-1834 

or visit www.greateryellowstone.org/events/ 

Mar. 14 – Reception and 

Benefit for GYC, The Matrix, 

3138 Fillmore St., San Francisco, 

Calif. — Please call Heidi 

Barrett at (800) 775-1834 for 

information or to RSVP 

Apr. 23 – Earth Day Benefit, 

sponsored by Sage Spas in 

Bozeman and Billings. Enjoy 

discounted services, such as a 

massage, pedicure, or haircut and 

style. All proceeds benefit GYC’s 

conservation work. 

May 17-20– Spring Wildlife 

Watching Trip, Silver Gate, 

Mont., and Lamar Valley, 

Yellowstone National Park 

June 16 – GYC Annual 

Membership Meeting, Bozeman, 

Mont., — See page 2 for details. 

More information forthcoming.

A big victory for solitude, 

wildlife in Gallatin Range 

by Hannah Stauts, Montana Conservation Associate 

The wild core of Montana’s Gallatin Range 

– the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn 

Wilderness Study Area (WSA)—earned a 

big victory in December. 

The 155,000-acre area, also known as the Gallatin 

Range WSA, is the largest tract of unroaded land 

adjacent to Yellowstone National Park still without 

permanent protection. All other mountain ranges 

extending from Yellowstone have wilderness 

designations at their core. The lone exception: the 

Gallatin. 

Certainly it is deserving of wilderness protection. 

The Gallatin is home to all the wildlife for which 

Yellowstone National Park is famous – grizzly bears, 

elk, moose, and even the elusive and imperiled lynx 

and wolverine. It sends cold, clear water into the blueribbon 

trout fisheries of the Gallatin and Yellowstone 

rivers. The north end of the Gallatin provides clean 

water for the expanding communities of Bozeman and 

the surrounding Gallatin Valley. 

Fortunately, a recent court ruling brought the 

Gallatin Range WSA one step closer to protection. 

On Dec. 1, 2011, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals 

upheld a 2009 district court ruling that threw 

out the Gallatin National Forest’s travel plan for 

the WSA. The court held that the Forest Service 

failed to account for the increase in the volume and 

intensity of motorized recreational use, the impacts 

of those uses on the area’s wilderness character, and 

the potential for future wilderness designation. 

The Gallatin Range WSA was designated in 

1977, along with eight other areas, as part of the 

Montana Wilderness Study Act. The act mandated 

the Forest Service manage the areas “as to maintain 

their presently existing wilderness character and 

potential for inclusion in the National Preservation 

System.” Uses that existed in these areas in 1977, 

such as snowmobiling and dirt bikes, were allowed 

to continue, but not to increase. However, as the 

population of the communities surrounding the 

Gallatin Range grew rapidly, so did recreation 

demands. 

In 2006, the forest issued a travel-management plan 

that proposed to lock in expanded motorized use. 

GYC and other conservation groups sued, contending 

the travel plan violated the Montana Wilderness 

Study Act. A federal judge agreed and required the 

Forest Service to go back to the drawing board. The 

Forest Service appealed, but the 9th Circuit’s decision 

in December clearly stated that the agency must 

show it has adequately addressed impacts to the area’s 

wilderness character caused by increased motorized 

use and to revise the travel plan by doing “the best it 

can with the data it has.” 

The court went even further, defining the agency’s 

requirement to protect wilderness character to 

include not only the impacts of uses on the ground, 

but also the impacts to the “wilderness experience” 

and an individual’s opportunity to experience 

“solitude.” The judges also reminded the Forest 

Service that it must continue to maintain the 1977 

wilderness character of the WSA for not only future 

generations, but current users as well. 

The Forest Service now must revise its travel 

management plan, a process likely to require several 

10 


Last piece of a wilderness puzzle. The Gallatin Range features the last significant chunk of roadless backcountry adjacent to Yellowstone National Park that has yet to be 

protected as wilderness. GYC is working to ensure that this spectacular country’s “wilderness character” is maintained, as mandated by Congress. “Wilderness character” is described 

by the Aldo Leopold Institute as the “combination of biophysical, experiential, and symbolic ideals that distinguish wilderness from all other lands.” Photo: George Wuerthner. 

years. In the meantime, interim management orders 

reducing the extent of motorized use, and better 

protecting the wilderness qualities, will be in place. 

The question of long-term protection remains, 

however. Before the Forest Service initiates a new 

travel-planning process, an opportunity exists for all of 

us who care about the Gallatin and its extraordinary 

values to develop a vision for its future. 

With our partners, GYC is working to make this 

happen by meeting with a wide range of people 

and organizations interested in preserving this 

wild country, including mountain bikers, hikers, 

conservationists and backcountry equestrian 

enthusiasts. We can demonstrate that it’s possible to 

protect wilderness and enhance world-class outdoor 

recreation in our own backyard. 

Valuable to this conversation will be a greater 

understanding of how wildlife uses the superb habitat 

of the Gallatin Range. To fill the gap in the existing 

wildlife data for the range, GYC has partnered with 

local biologists and other conservation groups to lead 

a series of winter wildlife tracking workshops into 

various reaches of the range. 

To learn more about what we discover, see the Gallatin 

page at www.greateryellowstone.org/gallatin. And stay 

tuned for information about our “Explore the Gallatin 

Range” series of hikes, presentations, and volunteer 

opportunities later this year. 


Newest threat to 

southeast Idaho 

habitat: UTVs 

GYC appealing to Forest Service to develop travel plan that protects 

fish, wildlife, quiet-recreation values from Jeep-sized vehicles 

by Andrea Santarsiere, Idaho Conservation & Legal Associate 

Just to the south of the Snake River and west of the 

Idaho/Wyoming border within the Caribou-Targhee 

National Forest is a mix of forested mountains and 

sagebrush-covered ridges. The Caribou Mountains are 

relatively lush by Greater Yellowstone standards, with 

expansive stands of aspen and abundant wet meadows. 

The Idaho Department of Fish & Game considers 

this area to be one of the most productive wildlife 

habitats in southeast Idaho, supporting healthy 

populations of elk, mule deer, black bear, and moose. 

Greater sage-grouse strut on their leks in the spring 

and grizzly bears forage on the high mountain slopes. 

The many streams that course deep canyons bisecting 

the mountain ridges are home to Yellowstone 

cutthroat trout and other native fish. And if you are 

a birder, the area offers some of the best viewing 

opportunities around, with species ranging in size 

from yellow warblers and ruby-crowned kinglets to 

peregrine falcons, bald eagles and golden eagles. 

In addition, the Caribous offer many opportunities for 

such recreation as hiking, horseback riding, mountain 

biking, wildlife viewing, hunting and fishing, or just 

getting away from the hectic pace of life. 

Given the exceptional wildlife and recreational values 

the Caribou Mountains provide, we have to wonder 

what the Forest Service is thinking with its new 

Summer Travel Management Plan for a vast 213,000- 

acre area it dryly and non-descriptively calls the 

“Caribou Range Mountains Subsection.” 

The plan seeks to triple the trail mileage dedicated to allterrain-vehicle 

(ATV) use in the area, despite the harm 

they have already caused to sensitive forest resources. 

This dramatic increase in ATV trails threatens habitat 

necessary for wildlife in the area, including the threatened 

grizzly bear and the imperiled greater sage-grouse. 

Perhaps most concerning, the plan for the first time 

validates the use of so-called utility-type-vehicles (UTV), 

sometimes called side-by-sides, on national forest trails. 

UTVs are large and heavy vehicles that cause damage 

beyond impacts associated with ATV use, including 

additional compaction and sedimentation, threatening the 

health of native vegetation and water quality. 

Due to the serious impacts this new plan will have on 

fish, wildlife and non-motorized recreation, the Greater 

Yellowstone Coalition filed an appeal on Jan. 27 asking 

12 


the Forest Service to develop a new travel plan that 

protects these values. 

Stay tuned for more information on the future of this 

critical landscape, which includes all or part of five 

roadless areas and provides exceptional habitat and 

security for many of Greater Yellowstone’s magnificent 

wildlife species. 

Grizzlies in the area! That’s right, in the past three years there have been 

numerous reports of grizzlies using the Caribou Range Mountains Subsection. 

We recognize this as an encouraging sign of grizzlies expanding their range in 

southeast Idaho. Many sightings of lone bears have been reported over the past 

few years, and recently a sow with two cubs was spotted. This could mean that 

grizzlies are denning in the area. The Forest Service considers this area suitable 

habitat for threatened grizzly bears. The agency should protect the area to help 

support the recovery of this magnificent species as it expands into parts of Idaho. 

Photo: Cindy Goeddel, www.cindygoeddel.com 

In 2003, the first UTV designed for recreation was introduced on the 

market. Since then, the use of these recreational vehicles has exploded 

across Idaho and other areas of the West. Although the idea behind 

UTVs is similar to use of ATVs, these side-by-side vehicles can cause 

substantially greater impacts to environmental resources than 

those caused by ATVs. For example, UTVs range in width from 50 

inches to 74 inches — practically the size of a Jeep Wrangler. These 

vehicles carry two or more people and more equipment than the typical, 

single-seat ATV while weighing from 900 to 2,000 pounds. That’s up to a full ton of weight rolling through fragile lands. The 

Forest Service’s validation of UTV use on trails is reminiscent to the introduction of ATVs a decade ago. This time, however, we 

are facing the challenge with eyes wide open. 


We Are Putting Down New Roots 

In early January, we packed up and moved our office down the street 

from our rented space in Bozeman to our new headquarters toward the 

east end of town. The building, which is on the National Register of 

Historic Places, has been renovated to meet Gold Leadership in Energy and 

Environment Design (LEED) standards. 

It is a lovely, spacious building with a large conference room, expandable 

space, and one of the largest solar installations in Bozeman, providing 

nearly one-third of our electrical power. 

The new building brings us a permanence that is fitting for 

us after nearly 30 years of conservation work in Greater 

Yellowstone. 

Total cost for the building and renovation is $3 million. We 

have raised $2 million to date. 

Now a generous donor has offered us a challenge grant of 

$100,000, good through Dec. 31, 2012. We need your 

help. Your contribution today will help us meet this match. 

Double the power of your gift by making a contribution to 

our capital campaign, Building for the Future. 

Jeff Welsch Jeff Welsch Chris K. Grinnell Chris K. Grinnell 

A contribution or pledge of $1,000 or more will ensure 

that your name is permanently displayed on our bison 

donor wall in the front lobby of the new building. A 

big thank you to all who have already contributed 

and to those who contributed at the grand 

opening celebration of the building Feb. 24. 

14 


It’s time to start over on 

flawed Wyoming wolf plan 

by Chris Colligan, Wyoming Wildlife Advocate 

The ball is in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s 

(USFWS) court on Wyoming wolves. In early 

January, the agency closed its public comment 

period on a proposal to remove Endangered Species Act 

protections. 

Entering final analysis of its proposed rule, the Fish & Wildlife 

Service should be aware that the public, GYC and other 

conservation groups are watching closely. Collectively they have 

expressed resounding opposition to the delisting proposal. Even 

the scientists enlisted to provide peer review of the agency’s 

plan cite concerns with the state’s objectives for wolves. 

Wyoming’s plan is unacceptable on many fronts. It 

manages for the bare minimum number of wolves. It 

allows for unregulated killing in more than 80 percent of 

the state. It even includes the possibility of wolf hunting in 

Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. 

Memorial Parkway. 

Wyoming knows its plan is flawed. That’s why a state 

representative tried to add a “rider” to Congress’ budget bill 

prohibiting any legal challenges to the plan. Fortunately, 

Congress stripped the rider from the legislation. 

Why are Wyoming wolves so important to the Greater 

Yellowstone Ecosystem? Consider that more than half 

of all wolves in the ecosystem live in Wyoming outside 

of Yellowstone National Park. In addition, Greater 

Yellowstone’s wolves are the most detached genetically 

of the Northern Rockies population and have the 

highest mortality — even under Endangered Species Act 

protections — due to conflicts with livestock. 

Above all, they are a keystone species that has significant 

positive benefits to Yellowstone ecologically and 

economically. They’re too important to a healthy ecosystem, 

and we’re not walking away from our responsibility as an 

advocacy organization. 

Uncertain future. Fortunately, an effort to prohibit any legal challenges to 

Wyoming’s biologically indefensible wolf plan failed. Now it’s up to the U.S. Fish & 

Wildlife Service to come up with a delisting proposal that can withstand scientific 

scrutiny. Photo: Tom Murphy. 

So what’s next? 

Well, Wyoming’s laws still must be changed to match the 

language in its wolf plan. That will likely happen during 

the short Legislative session that began in February. At 

that point, recognizing that Wyoming’s plan has many legal 

and biological flaws, the Fish & Wildlife Service will have 

to decide whether to hold ’em or fold ’em on the proposed 

delisting rule. Moving ahead with the rule will likely hold 

up the process through many more years of legal wrangling, 

further eroding public tolerance for wolves. 

The best option: scrap the plan and start anew with an open 

discussion between conservation interests, state officials, 

ranchers, hunting interests and communities regarding 

sound delisting and management plans. 

We here in the West could learn from the model recently 

used in delisting wolves in the upper Great Lakes region. 

Plans there met necessary criteria and maintain future 

populations of wolves through science-based management. 

The states and USFWS worked with conservation groups 

to address problems with previous delisting attempts. The 

agency should initiate a similar process here instead of 

simply walking away. 


M ontana 

LOCAL NEWS 

GALLATIN WILDLIFE 

TRACKING REVEALS 

RANGE’s many WONDERS 

For three weekends this winter, snowshoe-clad 

volunteers traversed the Gallatin Range with 

their eyes to the ground in search of wildlife 

tracks. The volunteers were eager participants 

in winter wildlife tracking efforts hosted by the 

Greater Yellowstone Coalition and several other 

conservation partners. 

The volunteer outings, led by local biologists, 

were conducted in various locations in the 

Gallatin Range, south of Bozeman, Mont., in an 

effort to complete the picture of wildlife activity 

and movement throughout the area. 

Hannah Stauts 

Groups noted evidence of a wide variety of 

wildlife signs, including tracks of otter sliding 

on their bellies down stream banks, bounding 

tracks of weasels and even bobcat prints (above). 

The Gallatin Range has long been an important 

refuge for elk, mountain goats, grizzly bears and 

even the elusive wolverine and lynx, yet no one 

knows the extent of wildlife use in the area. 

This winter’s outings are helping to pull all the 

pieces together, with volunteers and biologists 

joining forces to develop a better understanding 

of what’s in our backyard and what makes it 

so unique. The data collected will be used to 

augment previous information about wildlife 

in the area, which will serve as a useful tool to 

inform future land-management decisions for 

the Gallatin Range. 

For more information about the data collected 

during these events, and to learn more about 

our work to protect the Gallatin Range, visit our 

website: www.greateryellowstone.org/gallatin. 

W 

Allow WILDLIFE the 

SPACE to SURVIVE 

in the winter 

Winter and early spring can be the most 

difficult seasons for some wildlife to survive 

harsh conditions. Elk, bighorn sheep and other 

big game that forage through the snowpack 

on last season’s plant growth must conserve 

energy for what could be many challenging 

weeks and months. That’s why GYC partners 

with agencies and groups around Jackson Hole 

on a program called “Don’t Poach The Powder”, 

yoming - west 

Josie’s Ridge: 

Closed Dec. 1-April 30 

Leeks Canyon: 

Access allowed 

on designated 

route only 

Don’t Poach the Powder 

Areas closed to all travel Dec. 1 - April 30 

GROS VENTRE 

WILDERNESS: 

No motorized travel allowed 

at any time 

Gros Ventre Wilderness 

which educates skiers and snowmobilers about 

protecting wintering wildlife by not intruding 

in important habitats on public lands. Printed 

brochures, newspaper ads and radio ads keep 

this important message in the minds of people 

N 

National Forest winter wildlife closures 

are in effect December 1 - April 30 

Winter is the most stressful time of the year for wildlife. 

Deep snow, cold temperatures and scarce food make energy 

conservation key for winter survival. When we disturb wildlife, 

we force them to spend energy avoiding us, which can result 

in their death. 

We have many places to recreate, but elk, mule deer, moose 

and bighorn sheep rely on the hillsides near town to survive 

the winter. 

Please respect wildlife and their habitat. Know the location 

of these closed areas before entering the Forest and watch for 

posted closure signs. Get a free map from any Forest Service 

office or the visitor center on North Cache. 

Don’t Poach the Powder is sponsored by Bridger-Teton National Forest, Greater 

Yellowstone Coalition, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Jackson Hole Wildlife 

Foundation, National Elk Refuge, Sierra Club–Wyoming Chapter, Wyoming Game 

and Fish Department, and Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Fee Coalition. 

who like to recreate on snow. For several years 

this informational effort has been successful in 

decreasing human disturbance of wildlife during 

winter. 

16 


LOCAL NEWS 

I daho 

SIMPLOT’S TALE OF THE 

TWO-HEADED TROUT 

It is a story befitting the National Enquirer but in 

this case entirely true: Trout with two heads and 

other deformities are the result of toxic selenium 

releases from phosphate mining operations in 

southwest Greater Yellowstone. 

The pictured fish was produced in a lab from 

eggs taken from adult fish living in Sage 

and Crow creeks, just downstream from J.R. 

Simplot’s controversial Smoky Canyon Mine. 

Patrick Porgans 

Ironically, the photos of the deformed fish 

came from a report produced by Simplot’s own 

scientists. Simplot is using the report to pursue 

a so-called “site-specific exemption to cleanwater 

laws” at the Smoky Canyon site, one of 

17 federal Superfund sites related to phosphate 

mining in southeast Idaho. 

Not surprisingly, the tale of the two-headed 

trout has received widespread media attention. 

The Associated Press, New York Times, Reuters 

and local media produced stories that have been 

picked up around the world — as far away as 

The China Post. 

Simplot’s response has been relatively quiet. 

First the company denied the existence of its 

own photos and then it continued to insist that 

it has been a good steward of the environment. 

The tally of toxic mortality in the phosphate 

district of Idaho so far: Hundreds of sheep, at 

least 18 head of cattle, six horses and countless 

fish and wildlife. 

Most important about these revelations is that 

they should force Simplot to clean up its toxic 

Superfund mess at Smoky Canyon. 

For more on this story and issues surrounding 

phosphate mining, visit 

www.greateryellowstone.org/phosphate. 

W 

launch of a-b 

frontlines 

In January, GYC’s Cody Office debuted A-B 

Frontlines, a newsletter dedicated to helping 

our members stay 

informed and 

engaged in our 

efforts to protect 

the magnificent 

Absaroka- 

Beartooth Front. 

Published 

bi-monthly, 

the newsletter 

includes 

feature stories 

on issues 

affecting the 

region, as well as upcoming 

events and local member happenings. Please 

yoming - northwest 

contact Barbara Cozzens at 307-527-6233 or 

bcozzens@greateryellowstone.org if you’d like 

to receive a copy of A-B Frontlines. 

Bowling for the 

Front 

On Feb. 12th, GYC’s Cody Office hosted the 

first annual charity bowling tournament, 

aptly named the 

Cody Super Bowl. The 

event was just one of 

many planned events 

to help broaden our 

outreach to diverse 

stakeholders across 

northwest Wyoming. 

Bowlers vied for prizes 

donated by local-area businesses. Park County 

Commissioner Joe Tilden presided over the 

awards ceremony where Cody native Taylor 

Morgan took home the championship trophy, 

posting scores 

of 201 and 243. 

Commissioner Tilden 

also participated 

in the tournament, 

helping to raise the 

GYC team’s scores 

to more respectable 

numbers. All monies 

raised from the tournament will be applied 

directly to our Absaroka-Beartooth Front 

protection efforts. 

Kathy Lichtendahl 


Membership Update 

The following supporters made a contribution to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition between October 29, 2011, and January 20, 2012*. THANK YOU! 

Mr. Joseph Albright and 

Ms. Marcia Kunstel 

Dr. and Mrs. Charles S. Ashmore 

Mr. and Mrs. Russell E. Atha III 

Mr. Peter Bachman and 

Ms. Janet Rice 

Ms. Dorothy L. Ballantyne 

Robert and Shirley Bayley 

Edward R. Bazinet Foundation 

Mr. Noel Bennett 

Walter and Elizabeth Bennett 

Winslow and Andrea Bent 

Mr. Bill Berg and 

Ms. Colette Daigle-Berg 

Peter Bergeron 

Natalie and Warren Bergholz 

Mr. Timothy Black 

Ms. Elizabeth A. Blassingham 

Ms. Kristi Boester 

Michelle Boland 

Mr. Dave Boyden 

Kathy and Gregor Boylston 

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Bredesen 

Mr. John Broude 

Joe and Mary Browder 

Mr. Thomas O. Brown 

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Brutger 

Duncan and Vicki Burford 

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Burnstead 

Mr. and Mrs. Dan E. Butt 

Dr. Cenie C. Cafarelli 

Ms. Linda D. Campbell Fund 

Tom and Rani Cargo 

Mr. Dave Carrier 

Janet R. Celick 

Ann and Doug Christensen 

Mr. Paul C. Chrostowski 

and Ms. Lorraine J. Pearsall 

Robin and Marshall Cloyd 

Ms. Sarah Coe 

Ms. Raine Coker 

Debbi and Ken Collier 

Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand 

Colloredo-Mansfeld 

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Connolly 

Mrs. James E. Cooper 

Mr. and Mrs. David M. Courtis 

George and Barbara Covington 

Margaret Cozzens 

Mr. Ben Croce 

Mr. and Mrs. Chett Cross 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph K. Davidson 

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Davis 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dayton 

Randy and M. Alice DeAngelis 

Mr. John DiMarco 

and Ms. Jane Erwine 

Winnie and J.B. Doherty 

Buddy and Valorie Drake 

Mr. and Mrs. Pony Duke 

Eaglemere Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. Ross Edwards 

Dr. and Mrs. Charles E. Eiriksson 

Ms. Lynn Elliott 

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Etter 

Ms. Kathy France 

and Mr. Crowell Herrick 

Mrs. B.L. Fyan 

Eugenia Gates 

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Gewirz 

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Gingras 

Jerome and Barbara Glickman 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Goodnow 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Goodyear 

Mrs. Anna Gossett 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Graham 

Mr. Michael Grandcolas 

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene M. Grant 

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Griffin 

Mr. Dave Grusin and 

Ms. Nan Newton 

Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Gunderson 

Mr. and Mrs. Clay Hall 

Aspire Media, LLC 

Ms. P. April Hansen and 

Mr. Peter Keppler 

Mr. Bruce Harris and 

Ms. Jeannette Alexich 

Ms. Ann Harvey 

Mr. Martin Heckscher 

Hardy and Jennifer Hill 

Paul and Karin Hoagland 

Mr. Bernard M. Hollander 

Mr. George S. Howard 

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick J. Jannett Jr. 

Wynn and Minette Jessup 

Mr. and Mrs. Steven A. Jones 

Tobin and Susan Jones 

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Kahn 

Scott Kane and Michelle Escudero 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Keiter 

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Keith 

Mr. Robert Keith and 

Ms. Marisa Bueno 

Mr. Donald M. Kendall 

Kenney Brothers Foundation 

Mr. Dennis G. Klaja 

Ms. Alberta Knox 

Lester Krause 

Mr. William L. Krause and 

Ms. Sheila I. Bowley 

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kull 

Carol and Ronald Kurtz 

Kurtz Family Foundation 

Mr. Ralph Kurtzman 

Ms. Victrin Land and 

Mr. James Colbert 

Estate of Baylor Landrum III 

Ms. Marta Lawrence 

Ms. Rebecca R. Leas 

Mr. David Lehnherr 

Mr. and Mrs. William C. Lewis 

Ms. Mary Lindblad 

Ms. Karin Lindholm 

Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Lischer 

Mr. Don R. Mabey 

John S. and Susie Mackay 

Mr. and Mrs. William Mackey 

Mrs. Louis C. Madeira 

David and Frances Magee 

Ms. Judy Mandlebaum 

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Manne 

Mr. and Mrs. Jon Maroon 

Mr. John F. Mars and 

Ms. Adrienne B. Mars 

Mr. and Mrs. John M. Marshall 

Ms. Mary Marshall 

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Mayo 

Ms. Adrienne Mayor and Mr. Josiah 

Ober 

Ms. Mariam McCall 

Mrs. Mary Lou H. McDonald 

Mr. and Mrs. James McGrew 

Ms. Priscilla McKenna 

Mr. and Mrs. William McLauchlan 

Ms. Mimi McMillen 

Kent M. and Beth Meager 

Mr. Steven Merrill 

Ms. Barbara Meyer 

Dr. and Mrs. William Miller 

Richard and Marlene Millikan 

Mr. Dwight Minton 

Ms. Nancy Moyle 

Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Murphy 

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Murphy 

Dr. Narmeen Nabil 

Mr. Richard L. Napier 

Mr. John S. Nelson and 

Mrs. Hortensia Chang 

Phyllis C. and Ray Nelson 

Ms. Deborah Nice 

Mr. and Mrs. Philip T. Nicholson 

Ms. Abigail Norman 

Mr. John M. Norton 

Mr. James B. Nutter 

Stephen and Fran O’Day 

Daryl and Sherrie Parker 

Elizabeth B. and Walter Parks 

Ms. Joan Parsons and Mr. Ed 

Anderson 

Mr. and Mrs. Nic Patrick 

Alisan and Michael Patten 

Eva and Duncan Patten 

Mr. Steven B. Pfeiffer 

Mr. Peter Plastrik 

Steven and Marianne Polonowski 

Mr. James L. Potter Jr. and 

Ms. Virginia W. Naylor 

Mr. Peter Randall 

Mr. Richard W. Raushenbush and 

Ms. Barbara Giuffre 

Mr. and Mrs. William S. Reed 

Peter and Coleen Regan 

Mr. and Mrs. Gary Reysa 

Dr. Peyton Rice 

Dana Richardson and Dave Joslyn 

Caryl Rine 

Mr. Daniel Robinson 

Ms. Kathyrn Rogers 

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Ryan 

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Sanborn 

Marilyn and Jay Sarles 

Mr. Stephen B. Sayre and 

Ms. Nancy E. Watters 

Mr. Jeff Sconyers 

Seligson Johnson Foundation 

Bonnie and Jim Shaw 

Dr. Vance R. Sherwood and 

Dr. Donna Sherwood 

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Shuel 

Mr. Farwell Smith 

Ms. Loren Dunlap Smith 

Ms. Kris Spanjian and 

Mr. Ray Gilbertson 

Mr. Douglas Spencer and 

Ms. Kathleen Parrish 

Georgie Stanley 

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Stark 

Mr. D. Curtis Starr Jr. and 

Ms. Charlotta Eaton 

Mr. Geoffrey Stephens and 

Ms. Susan Quarles 

George B. Storer Foundation, Inc. 

Susan and Pike Sullivan 

Ms. Catherine Symchych 

Mr. Mark Tache and Ms. Christin Cooper 

Mr. and Mrs. John Taft 

George and Sheryl Talbot 

Mr. and Mrs. John Tanner 

Teel’s Marsh Foundation 

Mr. Daryl D. Tessen 

Mr. Kirk Thomas and Ms. Judy Goddard 

Ms. Carol Tolan 

Dr. and Mrs. Leonard E. Trout III 

Ms. Karen K. Uhlenbeck and 

Dr. Robert Williams 

Mrs. Mary W. Vaughan 

Dr. Richard Waldmann 

Courtney Walker 

Mallory and Diana Walker 

Max and Sharon Walker 

Tim and Windy Warner 

Mr. and Mrs. Warren L. Watkins and 

Mrs. Janis Watkins 

Ms. Cynthia Wayburn 

Frank and Denie Weil 

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Welles 

Jessica and Kasey Welles 

Mr. David Welsch 

Mr. Dickson Whitney 

Wilburforce Foundation 

Mr. and Mrs. John B. Winsor 

Mr. and Mrs. Ethan Winter 

David Winton and 

Charlotte Vaughan Winton 

Dr. and Mrs. Richard Wolk 

Dr. Charles Woodward 

Caroline Woodwell and Chris DeForest 

Woolloomoolloo 

Mr. Ralph Yergey 

Mr. G. Ramsey Yoder and 

Ms. Denise McGinley 

Ms. Anne Young 

Mr. Frank Zarb and Ms. Sarah Chasson 

Mr. Rob Zillioux 

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Zurn 

Tom Murphy 

*Due to space limitations, we are only able to list members contributing $250 or more. 

18 


Bison tolerance expands in fits and starts 

by Mark Pearson, Conservation Director 

Yellowstone bison continue to gain expanded 

tolerance, but not without encountering 

opposition at every turn. Several recent events 

highlight these challenges. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) issued a final 

decision in February to expand access to the Gardiner Basin 

north of Yellowstone National Park by 70,000 acres. More 

than 6,000 public comments poured into FWP generally in 

support of the expanded tolerance. Readers might recall an 

original agreement in principle last spring by Yellowstone 

National Park and Montana state agencies, but only now 

has Montana completed its necessary public review to 

officially adopt the change in management. 

At the same time, the Park County Stockgrowers, Park 

County and the Montana Farm Bureau have sued the state 

to prevent this expansion of bison habitat. A trial on the 

merits of this lawsuit took place March 1-2 in Livingston, 

Mont. GYC participated, represented by Earthjustice, to 

defend Montana’s decision. 

In December, Montana approved the translocation of 68 

brucellosis-free Yellowstone bison to the Fort Peck and 

Fort Belknap Indian reservations. This is a significant step 

toward allowing Yellowstone bison to be moved outside 

of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. New conservation 

herds could repopulate both reservations. The Department 

of Interior has committed $350,000 to assist with fencing, 

management and other needs by the tribes. However, local 

ranchers and private property proponents filed a lawsuit in 

January challenging the state’s decision to move bison to the 

tribes. 

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer has again this year 

prohibited the transport of brucellosis-positive bison to 

slaughter across Montana highways. He has also strongly 

encouraged the Department of Interior to relocate some of 

the quarantined Yellowstone bison to the National Bison 

Range at Moeise, north of Missoula. 

The governor’s rationale is that the bison presently at the 

National Bison Range have inferior genetics because of 

cattle gene introgression, and the herd could be upgraded 

with the pure bison genetics of the Yellowstone herd. 

Interior has refused to entertain the governor’s request. But 

as a result of the back and forth discussion, Interior has 

created a “Bison Strike Team” to identify potential other 

locations across the West where Yellowstone bison could be 

relocated, such as Badlands National Park in South Dakota 

and Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. 

Increasing tolerance? As bison began their annual migration out of Yellowstone 

National Park in search of winter forage in February, they were facing some 

familiar obstacles. Park County has sued to keep them out of the Gardiner Basin 

and ranchers in northeast Montana were also trying to prevent relocation of 68 

disease-free bison to two Indian reservations. Photo: George Wuerthner 


Next up on the Absaroka-Bearto 

by Charles Drimal, Wyoming Public Lands Advocate 

The country’s first national forest — the 

2.4-million-acre Shoshone National Forest 

— released its proposed draft forest plan for 

a brief public comment period in January. Under 

the National Forest Management Act of 1976, 

every forest must develop such a plan to guide 

management decisions for the next 15 to 20 years. 

The Shoshone is currently operating under a 1986 

plan and the agency has recognized that much has 

changed in the past 26 years. Despite interests 

to update the plan, the revision process has been 

plagued by numerous interruptions. In light of 

these setbacks, the Shoshone has introduced a 

proposed draft plan to reengage the public on 

relevant management concerns and incorporate 

them into a scope of alternatives. A more 

comprehensive plan will follow. 

In the nearly 800 written comments submitted to the 

Shoshone National Forest, public sentiment spanned 

a variety of topics. These include: protecting crucial 

winter range, recommending new wilderness, managing 

inventoried roadless areas, and interest in expanding or 

reducing off-highway vehicle recreation. The Shoshone 

is required by the National Environmental Policy Act 

to accept and integrate these public comments into the 

development of its plan. 

In our comments to the Shoshone, GYC submitted 

specific recommendations on roadless areas, wilderness, 

climate change, Wild & Scenic River segments, 

protection of grizzly bears and their habitat, and 

limits for proposed OHV use. Due to a 1995 agency 

decision, the forest plan will not address availability 

of oil and gas leasing. But the forest plan will analyze 

management of current lands available for oil and gas 

development, including opportunities for restricting 

surface occupancy. 

In February, Shoshone National Forest officials sat 

down with regional cooperating agencies – a group 

representing local county commissions, conservation 

districts, and state agencies – to identify and develop 

a breadth of preliminary alternatives for managing 

the forest. These alternatives cover the gamut from 

an emphasis on industrial and motorized use to 

prioritizing new recommended wilderness and 

backcountry non-motorized use. 

Customary to the political climate of northwest 

Wyoming, many cooperating agency members 

stressed a desire for increased industrial and 

motorized use. The Forest Service, however, holds the 

ultimate authority. 

Throughout the next few months the Shoshone will 

incorporate the interests of the cooperating agencies 

and public feedback from the January review into a 

set of management alternatives. The forest will also 

select its preferred alternative. By June, the Forest 

Service aims to publish an official draft plan and draft 

environmental impact statement, accompanied by a 

formal 90-day public comment period. 

In the months ahead, GYC will call upon you – our 

members and supporters – to participate in this 

public process and lend your voice in support of this 

magnificent forest. Ultimately, we seek to promote 

and protect the backcountry values of the Shoshone 

National Forest. With your help, we can maintain 

this wild legacy. 

Dawn on the Beartooth Highway. Morning light breaks through low clouds 

to highlight a talus slope and the Absaroka Range in Wyoming’s Beartooth 

Mountains at the northern end of the Shoshone National Forest. Photo: © 2011 

Dave Showalter/ iLCP. 

20 


oth Front: Shoshone forest plan 


Parting Thoughts 

Completing a wild umbrella around Yellowstone National Park 

Scan any map of the Greater Yellowstone region and your 

eyes instantly gravitate toward Yellowstone National Park, 

the ecological, economic and spiritual heart of our region. 

Now take a close look at Yellowstone’s periphery — the 

park’s lungs, if you will. What do you see? 

You see the scattered communities that serve as gateways 

for the 3½ million visitors who come each year to 

experience the grandeur of Yellowstone and Grand Teton 

national parks and the incomparable lands surrounding 

them. And you see wilderness — the beautiful, rugged, 

wildlife-rich landscapes that enable Yellowstone to be the 

living and breathing centerpiece of one of the last great 

largely intact temperate ecosystems on the planet. 

In Montana are the Lee Metcalf and Absaroka-Beartooth 

wilderness areas. In Wyoming — thanks largely to bipartisan 

efforts led by former Vice President Dick Cheney 

— Yellowstone is surrounded by a rich layer of wild country 

featuring the North Absaroka, Washakie, Teton, Winegar 

Hole and Jedediah Smith wilderness areas. 

To this umbrella of protections are two notable exceptions: 

• Idaho’s Caribou-Targhee National Forest, which 

was clear-cut a quarter-century ago right to the edge 

of Yellowstone’s western boundary to prevent any 

wilderness discussion. The scars from this logging 

remain visible from space to this day, and the Forest 

Service later paid a hefty price in court for laying 

waste to habitat critical for grizzly bears and the 

other charismatic wildlife so important to Greater 

Yellowstone’s ecological and economic vitality. 

• Montana’s Gallatin Range. The Gallatin’s 155,000-acre 

Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area 

(WSA) is the last unprotected roadless area adjacent to 

Yellowstone. Every bit as wild as those landscapes and 

Yellowstone itself, this country remains a conspicuous void 

in the Greater Yellowstone wildlands puzzle. 

Adding this relatively small portion of the overall 

Gallatin Range to the wilderness program would 

complete the layer of protections around Yellowstone. 

Long-term, it would also ensure clean drinking water 

for our communities, preserve cool flows for trout 

increasingly stressed in a warming climate and sustain 

vital migration routes for elk, grizzly bears, wolverines, 

bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose and other 

irreplaceable symbols of wildness. 

In recent years, diverse stakeholders in Montana have 

joined to protect the integrity of some of our last great 

intact landscapes, including Sen. Jon Tester’s made-in- 

Montana Forest Jobs & Recreation Act. 

Though these areas represent different values to 

different people, they are unified in the belief that such 

extraordinary landscapes need special attention. Each 

features places suitable for such traditional utilitarian uses 

as grazing and logging, for various types of recreation and 

for protecting our hunting, fishing and wildlife legacies 

through wilderness. 

So it is with the larger Gallatin Range. 

These spectacular mountains between Bozeman and 

Yellowstone National Park already offer hundreds of 

miles of trails for hikers, horseback riders, mountain 

bikers and such motorized vehicles as dirt bikes, ATVs 

and snowmobiles. 

What this range doesn’t have — unlike all other roadless 

lands adjacent to Yellowstone — is any portion designated 

as wilderness. 

As a community, we are at a crossroads for the Gallatin 

Range and the magnificent array of wildlife that depend 

on it. It is time to begin serious conversations about longterm 

management and protections of this unique part of 

our increasingly popular backyard. 

At the center of this discussion should be recognition that 

Yellowstone National Park is the ecological, economic and 

spiritual heart of our region — and that we need to fully 

protect the lands adjacent to the park to ensure it keeps 

beating vibrantly. 

— Jeff Welsch, Director of Communications 

22 


...how your advocacy has made a difference 

At GYC we work hard to protect the lands, waters and wildlife of the 

Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. But we can’t do it without your support 

— whether it’s financial or by lending your voice. 

Since our inception, your determination to be heard has had a 

tremendously positive impact on preserving the integrity of one of the last 

largely intact temperate ecosystems on the planet. 

Following are just a few examples of how your voice has recently enabled 

us to protect these marvelous landscapes: 

Wyoming Wolf Management Plan — As the courts have twice 

noted, Wyoming’s plan to manage wolves should they be removed from 

Endangered Species Act protections is biologically, legally and socially 

indefensible. Most egregious is allowing wolves to be killed any way, for any 

reason, in more than 80 percent of the state. 

When the State of Wyoming proposed a seasonal expansion of its 

so-called trophy-game zone, we asked you to let state officials know that the 

adjusted plan isn’t good for wolves. The result: 5,389 of you responded. 

Wyoming has a long road ahead in trying to remove Endangered Species 

Act protections for wolves. Efforts to prohibit any legal challenge to a state 

wolf plan failed, so it’s likely Wyoming will be back in court over the issue. 

Stay tuned for news on wolves and how you can help persuade the state to 

produce a defensible wolf plan. 

Protecting the Greater Sage-Grouse — The greater sagegrouse 

is the bellwether of the high desert, an indicator species for a healthy 

environment. With energy and residential development, times are tough 

for the sage-grouse, which has lost 44 percent of its habitat and has been 

considered for Endangered Species Act protections. 

In mid-January, we asked you to tell the U.S. Forest Service and BLM 

to consider the plight of the greater sage-grouse in its future management of 

public lands. By early February, 3,305 had sent a clear signal to these agencies 

that the greater sage-grouse is an important part of a healthy landscape. 

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has said that Endangered Species Act 

protections are merited for greater sage-grouse, but that other species are in 

graver danger. Keep an eye out for future alerts as we strive to prevent the 

sage-grouse from sliding toward extinction in Greater Yellowstone. 

Support for a Wild Wind River Basin — The Bureau of Land 

Management is revising its resource management plan for the Lander Field 

Office of the Bighorn Basin/Wind River Basin region. 

When we asked you to support an alternative that seeks to close the 

Dubois area from oil and gas development, halt motorized use of wilderness 

study areas and close core sage-grouse areas to energy development, 4,662 of 

you responded with comments to the BLM. 

Visit our action center at www.greateryellowstone.org/advocacy. 

Thank you for lending your voice. It makes a huge difference! 

Board of Directors 

Marcia Kunstel, Chair............................................... Jackson, Wyo. 

Kuni Schmertzler, Vice Chair.................................. New Canaan, Conn. 

Cynthia Murphy, Secretary..................................... Ketchum, Idaho 

Ned Jannotta Jr., Treasurer..................................... Teton Village, Wyo. 

Audrey Cole................................................................. Pocatello, Idaho 

Swep Davis................................................................... Bozeman, Mont. 

Dave Delehanty......................................................... Pocatello, Idaho 

Mike Finley................................................................... Medford, Ore. 

Kniffy Hamilton.......................................................... Jackson, Wyo. 

Jodi Hilty....................................................................... Bozeman, Mont. 

Bob Keiter..................................................................... Salt Lake City, Utah 

Robert Keith................................................................ Bozeman, Mont. 

Ken Lichtendahl ........................................................ Powell, Wyo. 

Melissa Lindsay.......................................................... St. Paul, Minn. 

Warren Murphy.......................................................... Cody, Wyo. 

Chris Naumann.......................................................... Bozeman, Mont. 

Kathy Richmond........................................................ Clayton, Idaho 

Pete Riede.................................................................... Afton, Wyo. 

Jerry Scheid................................................................. Idaho Falls, Idaho 

Farwell Smith, Emeritus........................................... Big Timber, Mont. 

Jim Spencer................................................................. Portland, Ore. 

Geoff Stephens........................................................... Bozeman, Mont. 

Charlotte Vaughn Winton...................................... San Francisco, Calif. 

Staff 

Heidi Barrett................................................................ Special Events & Major Gifts Manager 

Peter Bennett.............................................................. Information Systems Manager 

Barb Cestero................................................................ Montana Director 

Scott Christensen...................................................... Climate Change Program Director 

Mike Clark..................................................................... Executive Director 

Chris Colligan.............................................................. Wyoming Wildlife Advocate 

Joyce Connors............................................................ Finance Associate 

Barbara Cozzens........................................................ Northwest Wyoming Director 

Jessica DeJarlais........................................................ Membership Manager 

Lloyd Dorsey............................................................... Wyoming Representative, Jackson 

Valorie Drake............................................................... Director of Finance & Administration 

Charles Drimal............................................................ Wyoming Public Lands Advocate 

Terry Dumont.............................................................. Executive Office Manager 

Chris Grinnell.............................................................. Graphics Specialist 

Marv Hoyt..................................................................... Idaho Director 

Jennifer Murray.......................................................... Human Resources Manager 

Mark Pearson.............................................................. Conservation Program Director 

Andrea Santarsiere................................................... Idaho Conservation & Legal Associate 

Hannah Stauts............................................................ Montana Conservation Associate 

Christi Weber............................................................... Online Development & Marking Mgr 

Jeff Welsch.................................................................... Communications Director 

Caroline Woodwell................................................... Director of Development & Marketing 

Offices 

Montana P.O. Box 1874 

Bozeman, MT 59771 

(406) 586-1593 | fax (406) 556-2839 

gyc@greateryellowstone.org 

Idaho 

162 N. Woodruff Avenue 

Idaho Falls, ID 83401 

(208) 522-7927 | fax (208) 522-1048 

mhoyt@greateryellowstone.org 

Wyoming P.O. Box 4857 

Jackson, WY 83001 

(307) 734-6004 | fax (307) 734-6019 

ldorsey@greateryellowstone.org 

1285 Sheridan Ave., Suite 215 

Cody, WY 82414 

(307) 527-6233 | fax (307) 527-6290 

bcozzens@greateryellowstone.org 

Toll free (800) 775-1834 


www.facebook.com/greateryellowstonecoalition

Greater Yellowstone Coalition 

P.O. Box 1874 

Bozeman, MT 59771 

(406) 586-1593 


Printed on 100% recycled paper with vegetable-based inks. 

ne more shot OErmine. A rare sight in Greater Yellowstone, this small 

weasel is a curious and photogenic predator. Photo: Cindy 

Goeddel, www.cindygoeddel.com

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