Winter 2022 Newsletter
A year of growth!
March in the Upper Yellowstone will hopefully bring more winter weather before colorful signs of spring and the hustle of summer activities. As many locals know, cold temps and increases in snowfall often drive wild four-legged creatures out of the high country and into the valley floor in search of nutrients. These seasonal shifts in wildlife movement — while representing thousands of years of animal behavior on this landscape — undoubtedly present harsh realities when interfacing with humans and our transportation routes. Even with lower traffic levels in winter months we still see many collisions with wildlife on US 89.
2022 marks a new year, however, with exciting new developments, partnerships, and opportunities for the community to engage in our work.
Please read on for news and updates from Yellowstone Safe Passages.
Featured Team Member
Meet Blakeley!
Blakeley is the Volgenau Foundation Wildlife Conservation Associate for The Greater Yellowstone Coalition. Before joining the GYC team she spent 14 years working as a grizzly bear viewing guide on the British Columbia coast, researching wolverines across North America in the winter, and dabbling in various other wildlife related field work. In 2020 she got a job in the Paradise Valley and decided to put down some roots in Livingston soon after. She is passionate about keeping healthy populations of fish and wildlife on the landscape, supporting working lands, and exploring remote corners of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
Recruiting Citizen Scientists
We are recruiting more citizen scientists! If you live in the Upper Yellowstone or frequently travel the highway corridor we would love for you to join our community of citizen scientists. Questions? Come join us at Katabatic in early April.
Join Us @ Katabatic in Livingston!
April 5th from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Yellowstone Safe Passages will host a casual meet-and-greet event, providing an opportunity for citizen scientists to visualize the fruits of their labor and for our team to explain how citizen science is serving a unique role in our community. Click below to RSVP.
GARDINER TRIVIA NIGHT COMING SOON!
Wonderland Cafe in Gardiner holds trivia nights for the community and we will be there on April 10th hosting a “Wildlife & Transportation” themed evening. Wonderland asks that folks RSVP for trivia nights by phone, since space is limited. 406.223.1914.
Join Us @ Wonderland in Gardiner!
April 10th starting at 4:00 p.m.
Other useful info: Teams are between 1 - 6 people, entry is $2 per person, and there will be specials on tap and food available.
THE ROAD AHEAD
Over the next few months Yellowstone Safe Passages will be meeting regularly with our team of advisors, contracted staff, agency representatives, and local landowners. We will begin working more closely with road ecologists, researchers, and NGOs who have experience developing refined highway assessments. These assessments compile and analyze all possible data sets, from crash and carcass data to wildlife movement, YSP’s citizen science data, and local knowledge.
If and when wildlife overpasses, large culverts or other wildlife-vehicle conflict reduction tools are identified as potential projects for our watershed those recommendations will be well informed!
Yellowstone Safe Passages will continue to act as a coordinator and convener, and you can expect us to be more engaged in the community by way of organizing small Q&A sessions with locals, getting in front of classrooms at local public schools, recruiting more citizen scientists, and presenting to local groups such as the Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group, conservation groups, our local elected officials and more.
YSP IS NOW ON FACEBOOK
If you’re a frequent flyer on social media check out the new Yellowstone Safe Passages Facebook page for news, updates, and contributions from the community, link below:
You can also support us by making a tax-deductible donation. 100% of your donation is used to support our collaborative process. To make a donation, click the button below.
Yellowstone Safe Passages wouldn’t exist without supporters like you! Please help us by spreading the word. Forward our newsletters to friends and family. Host a neighborhood Q&A with our staff. Join our community Facebook group. Check out our website. Reach out.
Until next time…
Be well. Drive safely.
