Voices of Greater Yellowstone

Welcome back to the Voices of Greater Yellowstone podcast, where we share the stories and science of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. As we mentioned in our previous episode, long-time host Kristin Oxford has jettisoned off to her next adventure. I’m Emmy Reed, producer and editor of the podcast, now stepping in behind the mic. My full-time gig is being the senior digital communications associate for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and I’m excited to continue sharing interesting topics from across this remarkable ecosystem. 

Thanks to that little glowing box in our hand, we are constantly inundated with heavy news, social media updates, or the fact that you forgot to do Wordle again. Have you ever just wanted to chuck it into the trash and head out to your nearest trail or place of solitude? Maybe find some respite among the trees, enjoying the simplicity of nature. From my conversation today, I believe that’s what compels many people who join the backcountry trail crew in Yellowstone National Park. 

Being part of a backcountry trail crew is a labor-intensive job to enhance, or sometimes decrease, access to some wild places in the Park. I had the chance to sit down with GYC’s Montana Conservation Associate Erin Steva to chat about her stint as a crew member for a couple of years. We’ll hear about the average day for a crew member, some of her most memorable moments in the field, and how this work has translated to the Montana conservation efforts she leads today. 

Winter is a brutal time of year in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The sun rises late and sets early, temperatures stay well below freezing for weeks on end, and the snow can pile up foot on top of foot. For the ecosystem’s many ungulates, including pronghorn, elk, deer, and moose, winter is the hardest season to survive. For the best chance of enduring the cold and snow, ungulates migrate with the seasons, seeking milder winter habitat that provides a respite from winter’s intensity and a better chance of finding food. 

A herd or an individual’s chance of surviving winter is dependent on accessing winter wildlife habitat. However, many of the ancient migration corridors that lead to winter range are now bisected by roads, fences, and other infrastructure, making it more difficult for ungulates and other animals to reach these landscapes and the resources they provide. Fortunately, there’s a lot of work being done to keep migration paths open and preserve winter habitat for wildlife.

In this episode, we sit down with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s Senior Idaho Conservation Associate Allison Michalski. Idaho is rich with prime winter wildlife habitat, which tends to be lower elevation and hold better opportunities to find forage. Allison leads many of GYC’s efforts in Idaho, including securing protections for winter range, advocating for travel management policies that include seasonal closures for winter habitat, and promoting habitat connectivity along Idaho’s Highway 20 and Highway 33.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is a vast landscape shared by people and wildlife. Habitat for species like grizzly bears, wolves, elk, and more isn’t just found within public lands, but exists alongside, and even overlaps with, the wide-open working lands of this region. With wildlife and people living in such close proximity, the possibility of conflict is often not far behind.

Wildlife-livestock conflict is a complex challenge that requires thoughtful, multi-faceted, and creative solutions. Luckily, there are some ranchers and landowners in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem testing some ground-breaking methods to keep their livelihoods intact and their neighbors wild.

On this episode, we’re chatting with Hilary Zaranek. Hilary is a rancher and biologist leading some of the most cutting-edge wildlife-livestock conflict prevention work in the ecosystem. From range riding to low-stress livestock handing and innovative partnerships, she and her family are testing out a range of methods that are good for both business and the land. We’ll hear about Hilary’s start in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem working on ranches and as a technician for the Yellowstone Wolf Project, how range riding works, and what techniques she and her husband employ to prevent conflicts with grizzly bears and wolves. 

A question we commonly ask fans of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is: If you could see one animal out in the wild, what would it be? It may surprise you that the most popular answer by far is the wolverine. So, why are wolverines at the top of so many peoples’ wildlife bucket list? 

These elusive critters are rarely seen and even more rarely captured on camera. Their near-mythological status, incredible journeys over isolated jagged peaks, and wild fierceness in a furry compact body makes the wolverine definitely one of the coolest species in the ecosystem… if not the world. Wolverines also made headlines in late 2023 when they were listed for protections under the Endangered Species Act, an important step in securing their long-term future in the Lower 48. 

They say, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” although sometimes it feels like we’re left speechless when viewing the spectacular photos and film of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. People from across the globe who have never visited this remarkable region feel a connection simply from the story these images tell. From a bird’s eye view of Grand Prismatic Spring, to a sweet moment of a grizzly bear sow and her cubs, to the sheer vastness that is Greater Yellowstone, the moments captured via camera inspire us all.