As a premier conservation organization and environmental nonprofit, we unite science, community conservation, and citizen advocacy to defend North America’s wildest sanctuary for future generations.
"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."
Spanning Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, the Greater Yellowstone Region harbors the continent’s premier intact wildlife assemblages. At its heart anchor Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park, enveloped by millions of acres of pristine Wilderness Areas protected under the Roadless Rule and sovereign public lands.
Through disciplined conservation planning, active ecosystem restoration, and uncompromising environmental advocacy, we counter rapid habitat fragmentation to secure ecological connectivity and highway wildlife crossings across the Rockies.
Safeguarding grizzly bear populations, wolf packs, and ungulate migrations across state lines.
From high-alpine peaks in National Forests to the deep currents of Wild Rivers, our multifaceted conservation programs address the most pressing ecological threats.
Wildlife Conservation
Protecting grizzly bears, bison conservation, and seasonal elk migration. We build state-of-the-art wildlife crossing structures to eliminate vehicle collisions and secure winter range.
Learn More About Wildlife Corridors →
Freshwater Conservation
Preserving blue-ribbon fisheries for native cutthroat trout along the Yellowstone and Gallatin river watersheds, securing clean drinking water and healthy aquatic ecosystems.
Explore River Protection Work →
Public Lands & Forests
Upholding the Roadless Area Conservation Rule across the Custer Gallatin National Forest and Bridger Teton National Forest, guarding wild unfragmented forests against industrial logging and mineral leasing.
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Tribal Conservation
Collaborating with more than 49 sovereign Tribal Nations to honor Indigenous land stewardship and wild bison restoration, upholding treaty rights on sovereign reservations.
Read About Tribal Partnerships →
Climate Adaptation
Developing long-term science frameworks to counter climate change, supporting elevation migration buffers, beaver wetland restoration, and sustainable land management.
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Community Action
Uniting ranchers, outdoorsmen, and citizens through volunteer conservation, wildlife-friendly fencing projects, range riders, and non-lethal conflict deterrence programs.
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How community members, ranchers, and conservation biologists collaborated to fund critical crossing structures on Highway 287, restoring historical elk migration routes.
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Why the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule remains our most crucial legal shield against clearcuts and industrial fragmentation in Custer Gallatin and Bridger-Teton forests.
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Through Indigenous land stewardship partnerships, wild disease-free Yellowstone bison are returning home to sovereign tribal ranges across the West.
Read Full Story →Ecosystem health does not stop at artificial state boundaries. Our cross-jurisdictional campaigns ensure coordinated public land management across three states.
| State Jurisdiction | Core Conservation Priorities | Key Public Lands & Wilderness Areas | Impact Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana Wildlife | Grizzly bear migration corridors, Madison Valley crossings, Yellowstone & Gallatin river protection | Custer Gallatin National Forest, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness | Active Highway Crossings Funded |
| Wyoming Public Lands | Ungulate migration route protection, Red Desert to Hoback corridor, gas lease retirement | Bridger Teton National Forest, Shoshone National Forest, Grand Teton | 100,000+ Acres Leases Retired |
| Idaho Wildlife Habitat | Island Park connectivity, Centennial Mountains bear crossing, cold-water trout spawning runs | Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Henrys Fork Watershed | Key Bottlenecks Permanently Secured |
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem spans more than 20 million acres across Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. It is the largest nearly intact temperate ecosystem remaining in the Northern Hemisphere, providing irreplaceable habitat for grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk, while serving as the water tower for millions of downstream residents.
By combining specialized overpasses and underpasses with directional wildlife fencing, crossing structures channel migrating ungulates and carnivores safely across high-speed roadways. Proven projects show a reduction of wildlife-vehicle collisions by 85% to 90%, preserving animal migration while protecting drivers.
Enacted in 2001, the Roadless Rule protects roughly 58.5 million acres of inventoried roadless national forest lands from commercial logging and new road construction. Industrial special interests continually challenge this rule. We actively litigate and advocate to ensure these intact forest sanctuaries remain unfragmented.
We collaborate with more than 49 Native American tribes with ancestral ties to the Greater Yellowstone Region. Our partnerships focus on returning wild Yellowstone bison to tribal lands, honoring Indigenous treaty rights, and integrating traditional ecological knowledge into federal land management decisions.
As a certified 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit, 85%+ of our funds directly support field biology, corridor acquisitions, water quality defense, non-lethal rancher conflict prevention tools, and grassroots education to safeguard the ecosystem for future generations.
Your tax-deductible conservation gift finances boots on the ground, legal battles in court, and corridor protections that keep Yellowstone wild forever.