Permanent protections provide ‘vital’ habitat for grizzlies, access to wildlife migration corridors, more space for roaming bison
EBS STAFF
A partnership between the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, The Conservation Fund and U.S. Forest Service has permanently protected 161 acres of new public land on Crevice Mountain, just outside the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park near Gardiner, Montana.
The newly protected land provides “vital” habitat for grizzly bears, and is a critical migration corridor for elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep, according to a joint press release from GYC and The Conservation Fund. In addition, it’s one of the few areas outside the park where Yellowstone bison can roam.
The protection specifically safeguards the land from gold mining and development under the 2019 Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act. Yellowstone-area gold mining has been a concern dating back many years, and in 2023, GYC intervened by purchasing the mineral rights, leases and claims to nearly 1,600 acres of Crevice Mountain land. Since then, lingering privately owned inholdings and mineral rights have still presented threats, according to the release.
“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 stated in the release. “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.”
The project adds 161 acres to the Custer Gallatin National Forest through two parcels—one parcel was acquired by The Conservation Fund and the other by GYC—sold to USFS for roughly $2 million total, funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The nonprofits also transferred 208 acres of mineral rights to USFS.
“The Conservation Fund is proud to partner in protecting this Montana landscape where working lands, wildlife, and outdoor heritage are deeply connected,” Gary Sullivan, Montana senior advisor at The Conservation Fund, stated in the release. “By securing land within this critical landscape on the edge of Yellowstone… 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.”
