Greater Yellowstone Coalition Records, 1984-2025

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC) was founded in May 1983 by a group of 35 conservation organizations in response to a number of increasing threats to the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem in the western United States an area which spans 20 million acres and extends into three states (Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana) as well as two national parks (Yellowstone and Grand Teton). The stability and health of this ecosystem was actively endangered by mining, drilling, geothermal development, logging, roads, subdivisions, and human overuse. The group felt that the area lacked a state/federal administrative structure that could properly respond to these threats, and sought to create an environmental advocacy group which could manage multi-state coordination efforts.

The area that the coalition focuses on encompasses two national parks and surrounding protected lands. Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park was the country's first national park, set out over 3,500-sq area covering parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Prior to the formal establishment, humans had been living and traveling in the area for over 11,000 years. First, a variety of Native American tribes lived in and traveled through the park, and then in the early 1800s European Americans began to explore it. The area also includes the Grand Teton National park, which is located in Wyoming. First founded in 1929, the original park included a smaller area than today, just the Teton Range and surrounding lakes. Over the years, more land was set aside for the park, by Congress and a section purchased by John D. Rockefeller with the intention to donate. In 1950, the park in its current state of 480 sq miles was established with the combination of the original land, the Jackson Hole National Monument and the Rockefeller donation.

GYC's founding mission, established at the group's 1983 founding convention at the Teton Science School in Jackson, Wyoming, embraced protection of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem in its natural condition. Convention attendees elected a thirteen-member steering committee, made up of members from Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, comprising the first GYC Board of Directors. They adopted three primary goals: fostering citizen action through outreach efforts, developing both regional and national awareness around the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, and promotion of the scientific concept of the ecosystem itself.

Robert L. Anderson was appointed GYC's first Executive Director in 1984, and the group debuted at the 1984 annual meeting, held at Yellowstone National Park's Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. By then, the organization's primary office had been established in Bozeman, Montana, and infrastructure efforts began to transition into coalition-building and garnering member support. Both 1984 and 1985 saw the group's environmental advocacy efforts crystallize and gain traction, particularly around protection of the Yellowstone grizzly bear population, the reintroduction of wolves into the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, advocacy for expanded wilderness designations, site-specific issues and protection, and support for state-level and Congressional wilderness bills.

In the nearly four decades that GYC has been in operation, it has served as the focal point for education, advocacy, and outreach around the preservation of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. One of the group's first projects centered on the development of the New World Mining District in the Gallatin National Forest, Park County, Montana. GYC was a leader in the fight to ensure that the northeast corner of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem was kept from becoming a gold mine. In 2007, GYC was part of a group that sued to block the de-listing of grizzly bears from the U.S. list of endangered species. The group has been instrumental in the protection and preservation of several rivers in the ecosystem, including portions of the East Rosebud River, the Snake River, and the Yellowstone River. It has successfully pushed for legislation preventing mining and development in public lands and driven efforts to protect bison, wolves, native fish, and grizzly bears residing in the ecosystem.

The organization holds an annual convention each year, drawing academics, legislators, students, and advocates for several days of scientific education, recreational outings, brainstorming sessions, and policy-setting.

Notable Events:

Caroline Byrd stepped down from her role as Executive Director on February 29, 2020, having served as ED since 2013. GYC Deputy Director Scott Christenson served as the Interim Executive Director before being named the new Executive Director in July 2020.