Dear Supporter,

	The Centennial Mountains, within the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
	Act Today! So that future Forest Plans don't disregard wildlife's needs.

Our national forests are a critical reservoir of biological diversity, supporting more intact populations of rare species than any other U.S. public land system. In 1976 Congress had acted to create a reasonable and protective management framework for each national forest. Congress decided that the Forest Service needed guidance to insure that America's wildlife legacy as well as important recreational lands within national forests be managed to protect those values.

In 2005 the Forest Service attempted to do away with its obligation to wildlife and wildlands by arbitrarily changing the way each Forest developed their individual, broad-scale plans for wildlife and land management. This past March a federal court found that the Forest Service's change was illegal. Now the Forest Service is writing an Environmental Impact Statement in an attempt to reinstate the 2005 rule for managing national forest lands; the very same rule that was thrown out by the federal court. We need you to let the Forest Service know that the wildlife and wildlands they are responsible for should not be compromised by harmful developments.

Take Action Today to insure better Forest Management Plans in the future.

Yellowstone Bison out of Danger, For Now

Take 30 seconds to vote on Helena Independent-Record's "Question of the Week" supporting the idea of a brucellosis buffer zone outside the park.

As you may have heard in the news, last week 300 Yellowstone bison had wandered outside the park's western boundary and were in grave danger of being sent to slaughter. About 100 of them were newborn calves.

According to the signed agreement between federal agencies and the State of Montana, bison are not to be beyond park borders past May 15 in order to create a time period when cattle and bison are not sharing the same pastures. The separation is designed to make sure cattle are not exposed to the disease brucellosis carried by several species of wild animals, including bison. Cattle grazing on private lands west of the park typically begins in June.

Despite repeated attempts at hazing the bison back into Yellowstone, the bison cows and there calves—for unknown reasons—remained on the dangerous side of the designated line. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition offered to provide financial compensation to area ranchers and landowners to voluntarily delay grazing cattle on the ground (this ultimately was not necessary).

Luckily, an agreement between Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer and Yellowstone National Park was announced on Friday that will protect bison and their calves. Additional hazing successfully moved bison back into the park and the agreement will ensure bison and their calves will not go to slaughter.

This incident speaks to the greater need for a long-term solution to ensure bison are provided adequate habitat and are treated as wildlife in the state of Montana. Please read more about GYC's solution for Yellowstone Bison . Also, efforts need to be made to provide a better solution than hazing and slaughter to protecting Montana's cattle industry. This includes the creation of a zone around the park that would protect Montana's livestock industry in the event that brucellosis is found in cattle near the park.

Please contact Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer thanking him for his role in ensuring the 300 bison returned safely to Yellowstone.

GYC's Annual Meeting to be Held in Cody, WY, Jun 7-9, 2007

GYC's 24th Annual Meeting, this year in Cody, Wyoming! Register Online today, or visit our website to find out about speakers, meals, agenda, fieldtrips, and lodging.

Contact Us:
gyc@greateryellowstone.org
Greater Yellowstone Coalition Membership
P.O. Box 1874
Bozeman, MT 59771

(406) 586-1593

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