YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Yellowstone National Park is releasing a series of major strategic priorities that will guide short- and long-term decision making over the upcoming years. The priorities focus heavily on the park’s team and organization, strengthening the condition of the Yellowstone ecosystem, improving visitor experience, investing in infrastructure, and expanding partnerships and coalitions.
“It’s important that our priorities and actions are clear, not only to the [National Park Service] team here in Yellowstone, but to ensure our partners and the public understand our direction in these very important areas,” said Superintendent Cam Sholly.
Each of the park’s strategic priorities has a range of focus areas and actions that have been identified and will be continually refined and updated. The Strategic Priorities are:
Focus on the Core: Success in this
priority is central to Yellowstone’s future and revolves around improving the
working and living conditions of the Yellowstone team, how the park manages its
financial resources, and how it works toward the best administrative and
operational framework.
An example of
a specific action under this priority includes the development of a 5-year plan
to substantially improve employee housing within the park. The multi-million-dollar
plan will work to improve existing housing, eliminate and replace 75 trailers
currently used for seasonal employees, and will explore new housing partnership
opportunities with gateway communities and partners.
Strengthen the Ecosystem and Heritage
Resources: This priority focuses on understanding and responding to
the effects of climate change, promoting large landscape and wildlife
conservation efforts, and protecting and improving the condition of
Yellowstone’s vast cultural and historic resources.
Specific
actions under this priority are being developed in a range of key areas
including: a bison management strategy that stabilizes and potentially expands
the quarantine program; working with states to protect and facilitate important
wildlife migration corridors; and expanding efforts to combat the impacts of
non-native species like lake trout in Yellowstone Lake.
Deliver a World Class Visitor Experience: This
priority aims to provide clarity and direction around how the park will handle
increased visitation in upcoming years, with special focus on visitor impacts
on resources, staffing and infrastructure, visitor experience, and gateway
communities.
Importantly,
the park is moving out of the data gathering phase and beginning to determine
the appropriate short and long-term actions necessary to protect resources,
mitigate impacts of congestion, and improve educational, recreational and other
visitor enjoyment opportunities. This priority also focuses heavily on
improving public safety and resource protection.
Invest in Infrastructure: The
park’s maintenance backlog exceeds half a billion dollars and is likely much
higher. Actions within this priority include: developing a more cogent deferred
maintenance reduction plan, improving the quality of data and prioritization
processes, and taking better advantage of current and future funding to improve
asset conditions and protect investments.
Build Coalitions and Partnerships: Yellowstone’s
success is predicated on strong partnerships and coalitions. The park will
continue to build and align priorities with many partners including Yellowstone
Forever and our incredibly generous philanthropic community, with tribes,
elected officials, environmental and conservation groups, concessioners, and
communities, states, and other federal cooperators.
