Speak up for Yellowstone’s Gateway
The Northern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is a place shaped by generations of people who care for its lands, waters, and wildlife. Our lives and livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the health of this ecosystem. In our close-knit community in the northern gateway to Yellowstone we all know someone who has dedicated their career to protecting the diverse landscapes, natural resources and the deep cultural histories that make this place so special.
In recent weeks, the impact of federal funding freezes, grant pauses, and terminations of federal employees have had a growing impact on Park County. According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 360 federal employees in Montana—many from the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—have received termination notices. The Custer- Gallatin has lost 43 employees. These agencies are the stewards of our public lands, and their cuts will disproportionately affect gateway communities like ours, threatening the lands, water, and wildlife that sustain our economy and way of life.
In Park County, the Yellowstone and Gardiner Ranger Districts have also been gutted, leaving few people to manage vast public lands, trails, campgrounds, and infrastructure across the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Gallatins, and Crazy Mountains. We saw firsthand the consequences of understaffed agencies during the pandemic—now, those risks are even greater.
“It feels like if nothing is done to prevent this administration from dismantling our public lands and the support behind them, we could very well lose access to the trails, the mountains, the plains and the wildlife that we all love so dearly.” said Richard Midgette a Gardiner resident and recently terminated NPS employee.
The impacts will extend beyond the Forest boundary, affecting open landscapes and habitat on private lands as well. Local ranchers rely on funding from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to keep working lands and rural communities viable. These programs support conservation efforts that benefit both agriculture and wildlife. Without these crucial investments, ranchers will lack the resources needed to protect open space, maintain healthy soils and watersheds, and sustain wildlife corridors.
We are deeply concerned that these funding cuts and weakened agencies will have lasting consequences for our public lands, rural communities, and local economy. Without adequate support, the landscapes that sustain our way of life—and the people who care for them—are at risk. Many of you have reached out to Montana’s congressional delegation with no response. Now, more than ever, we must come together to highlight the far-reaching impacts of these cuts and ensure that local decision-makers understand what’s at stake for Park County and the gateway to Yellowstone.
Last week’s Public Lands Rally at the State Capitol was a powerful reminder of what happens when we raise our voices together. Over 1,000 people packed the rotunda, shoulder to shoulder, chanting in unison: Public lands are not for sale. Their voices echoed through the halls, sending a clear message—Montanans won’t sit quietly as these cherished lands are threatened.
Now it's time we organize locally.
Here's how you can help.
Share Your Story Through PCEC's Survey: If you or someone you know has been impacted by these funding freezes or terminations—whether directly or indirectly—we want to hear from you. Share your story publicly or anonymously by filling out this survey or contacting me directly at erica@pcecmt.org. While PCEC’s mission focuses on conservation, we know these cuts are also affecting our community’s health, education, and human services. It's all interconnected so please feel free to share those stories with us as well.
Contact the Park County Commissioners: Reach out directly to the Park County Commissioners and share your story. Let them know how these federal cuts are affecting you, our local economy, public lands, and the lives of those who steward Park County’s landscapes and wildlife habitat.
Commissioner Mike Story mstory@parkcounty.org
Commissioner Bryan Wells bwells@parkcounty.org
Commissioner Jen Vermillion jvermillion@parkcounty.org
Attend a Park County Commission Meeting: Show up Thursday, February 27th at 10AM at the City-County Complex or join virtually. Tell your story and ask the commissioners to write a letter to Montana’s Congressional Delegation urging them to stand up for Park County’s landscapes, community and economy. Can’t make it on the 27th? Show up to a future meeting, typically every Tuesday at 9 AM at the City County Complex. You can find commission meeting agendas and virtual links to meetings here. Let’s keep showing up every week until they act.
Spread the Word: Encourage 1-2 friends or neighbors to share their story, contact the county commission, and complete this survey.
Montana’s leaders have supported Park County’s land, water, and wildlife before. Let’s not forget that Governor Gianforte, Congressman Zinke, and Senator Daines joined former Senator Tester to protect 30,000 acres of public land from gold mining with the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act. Zinke, as Interior Secretary, also canceled oil and gas leases near the Yellowstone River. These victories didn’t happen by chance—they happened because our community organized, spoke up, and the Park County Commission helped. We've proven that when we come together and raise our voices, we can protect the land, water, wildlife, and people that make Yellowstone’s gateway home. Now is the time to mobilize again.
Thank you for your continued care and support for our community and the greater Yellowstone during these uncertain times. Let’s raise our voices together.