February 9, 2022

The National Park Service (NPS) has initiated the Yellowstone National Park (YNP) Bison Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement to guide management of the Park’s bison herd. This is where we can push for bison, like elk, to be managed as a free-roaming wildlife population without continued slaughter and confinement of Yellowstone National Park bison to to appease Montana’s livestock industry.

The first step in the process is the currently open 30-day comment period. This is an opportunity for the public to provide input on what the Park Service should consider during the evaluation. There is already an alternative worth supporting which would rely on natural selection and allow natural dispersal onto public lands. In addition, you can incorporate the talking points below into your comments.

The comment period is open now and runs through February 28.

Comments can be submitted and more information can be found here: https://bit.ly/34pGTuG

Suggested Talking Points:

• Bison are our national mammal and should be treated as such.
• Bison should be managed as a free-roaming wildlife population, the same as elk or moose.
• Bison bring value to our public lands as a keystone species that provides for a diversity of plant and animal life. This benefit should be extended to the entire Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and not confined to the Park.
• Public lands should be managed to conserve and protect diverse native wildlife species such as bison, rather than for the private profit of the livestock industry.
• To better promote bison movement on public lands, tools such as voluntary grazing permit retirement, private land acquisition, and vacant grazing allotment closure should be emphasized.
• Bison should not be captured and slaughtered to artificially reduce and confine the population. They should be allowed to roam freely on the millions of acres of public lands adjacent to the Park.

Two online listening sessions will provide additional opportunities to participate in this process. You can use the links below to register for one that fits your schedule.

February 9, 2022 5:30 – 7:00 PM MST

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2460364395865970700

Webinar ID: 856-248-035

Call-in Option: +1 (415) 655-0052 Access Code: 902-543-158

February 10, 2022 12:00 – 1:30 PM MST

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3873438048186311436

Webinar ID: 889-739-083

Call-in Option: +1 (415) 930-5321 Access Code: 456-608-998

Please act now and let your voice be heard for our national mammal!