Updates from Yellowstone | Fall/Winter 2025

UPDATES FROM YELLOWSTONE Fall/Winter 2025

A Message For You As Yellowstone transitions into fall and winter, I want to take a moment to thank you— our community of over 30,000 donors—for your generous support over the past year.

Your commitment to Yellowstone Forever has made a lasting impact, and we are deeply grateful.

This year brought both exciting progress and unexpected challenges. During this government shutdown, your generosity allowed Yellowstone Forever to step in and support the park in meaningful ways, ensuring that important visitor services and many conservation efforts continued with limited interruption. It was a powerful reminder of how donor-driven support sustains Yellowstone in times of need.

Thanks to you, we’ve also made significant strides in improving and expanding workforce housing for park staff. These upgrades and new developments are helping ensure that those who care for Yellowstone have safe, welcoming places to live and work—an investment in the people who protect this iconic landscape every day.

SCREENINGS CURRENTLY PLANNED:

Thursday, January 22nd at The Center for the Arts in Jackson, Wyoming

Thursday, April 9th at the Shane Center in Livingston, Montana

Find out more and stay tuned for other dates and locations by scanning the QR code

Join us for a screening of Guardians of Yellowstone: The Yellowstone Cougar Project and a panel discussion with Yellowstone’s Senior Wildlife Biologist Dan Stahler PhD, filmmakers, and members of the cougar team. For over 35 years, a dedicated team of biologists has quietly shaped one of the most enduring and impactful wildlife research programs in America. Produced by the fStop Foundation in partnership with Yellowstone Forever and Yellowstone National Park, this film reveals the hidden world of Yellowstone’s cougars.

As we look ahead to the year’s end, I encourage you to consider making a gift to Yellowstone Forever. Your continued support ensures that Yellowstone remains protected, accessible, and inspiring for generations to come.

We invite you to explore more of this past year’s accomplishments in our newly released Annual Report, which you can view by scanning the QR code below.

With Gratitude, Sam Barkley Chief Development Officer Yellowstone Forever

2024-2025 Annual Report:

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HONORING CONNECTION: TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT IN YELLOWSTONE Yellowstone Forever will host its fourth Tribal Education and Engagement Gathering, bringing together Tribal individuals and educators to build on years of partnership and dialogue.

Longtime supporter of Yellowstone Forever, Jacques Marie Mage (JMM)—a luxury eyewear brand based in Los Angeles—continues its commitment to conservation with the release of an annual, limited-edition collection of eyewear and jewelry inspired by the park’s iconic landscapes and wildlife.

Founded by avid Yellowstone supporter Jérôme Mage, JMM draws deep creative inspiration from the park—particularly from its wolf packs. These intelligent, social creatures, whose survival depends on cooperation, have become symbolic of JMM’s own values of community, collaboration, and resilience.

The company is a passionate advocate for wolf research, helping to dispel myths and highlight the critical ecological role wolves play. Their support extends to bison conservation and to honoring the enduring presence and stewardship of Tribal communities across these sacred lands.

For JMM, environmental protection and cultural respect go hand in hand. “For me, it’s such a special place,” says founder Jérôme Mage. “All I want to do is try to encourage people to go there, see it, and get involved in protecting the park.”

Through storytelling and responsible brand stewardship, JMM brings global attention to the ongoing need for conservation of this unparalleled landscape.

To learn more or explore partnership opportunities, please contact our team at Yellowstone Forever.

In Yellowstone, relationships come first. Over the past four years, Yellowstone Forever has continued to strengthen partnerships with Tribal Nations who maintain deep and continuing connections to this land. Working alongside the National Park Service, our shared goal has been to create space for Indigenous knowledge, creativity, and leadership to guide how Yellowstone’s story is experienced and understood.

Learn more and support: yellowstone.org/tribal-engagement/

During summer 2025, the Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center once again served as a place of learning and exchange, where Tribal artists, educators, and cultural leaders shared their work and traditions with thousands of visitors. Their presence helped visitors see Yellowstone through many lenses—through stories, songs, and artistry.

Yellowstone Forever hosted its fourth Tribal Education and Engagement Gathering in October, bringing together Tribal individuals and educators to build on years of partnership and dialogue. These gatherings have become essential moments to reflect, plan, and continue learning from one another.

This year we embarked on a partnership with Appearing Flying Woman Consulting to begin our Yellowstone Oral Histories. Together we will be conducting oral histories with Tribal Nations connected to Yellowstone. These stories help preserve knowledge, honor enduring relationships, and ensure that Indigenous voices remain central to how the park is understood and cared for.

Tribal engagement is not a project—it is a commitment grounded in respect, trust, and shared care for a place that connects us all.

STEALTH IN THE WILD: DISCOVERING YELLOWSTONE’S COUGARS Wildlife is abundant in Yellowstone National Park, yet one of its most mysterious inhabitants remains largely unseen—the cougar, or mountain lion.

With an estimated population of 29–45 cougars (puma concolor), these solitary predators are masters of stealth, thriving in the park’s rocky terrain and dense forests, which offer ideal conditions for stalking prey and avoiding competition from wolves and bears.

The Cougar Project, a multiyear research initiative, is shedding light on the secretive lives of these big cats.

Scientists use GPS collars and a network of remote cameras

to monitor cougar population data, movements, hunting behavior, and interactions within Yellowstone’s complex carnivore ecosystem. These tools reveal how cougars navigate their environment, cache their kills for later feeding, and raise their young— typically litters of three to four kittens, only half of whom survive their first year.

This research is vital for understanding the role cougars play in maintaining ecological balance. It also informs conservation strategies to protect them. Yellowstone Forever’s support ensures this work continues, offering continued insights into one of the park’s most elusive and captivating predators.

Learn more and support: yellowstone.org/yellowstone-cougar-project/

50 Years of Learning, Connection, and Stewardship in Yellowstone Yellowstone Forever and the National Park Service are working hand in hand on a strategic education plan to expand how visitors experience the park—integrating science, culture, conservation, and storytelling in new ways.

Nearly 50 years ago, a small group of visionaries believed Yellowstone itself could be the most powerful classroom in the world. From that idea, the Yellowstone Institute was born.

Since 1976, the Institute has helped tens of thousands of people experience the park in a way that changes them forever.

What began as a handful of field seminars has grown into a lifelong learning community that continues to shape how people understand and care for Yellowstone National Park.

At its heart, the Institute has always been about connection— between people and the land, between science and story, between generations. From early educators and volunteers teaching in rustic cabins to today’s field educators leading programs across the park, each person who has been part of this story has carried forward a simple truth: education is how

Yellowstone lives on. Whether studying wolf behavior in Lamar Valley, hiking to understand geothermal systems, or learning from Tribal voices about deep cultural ties to this place, every program has helped keep Yellowstone’s story alive for each new generation.

As we approach the Institute’s 50th anniversary in 2026, we honor those who have shaped this journey—the founders who imagined learning in the wild, the educators who have inspired countless visitors, the volunteers and donors who made it possible, and our partners in the National Park Service who have walked beside us for half a century. Together, we have built something extraordinary: a living legacy that continues to grow, adapt, and teach.

The next fifty years will build on that foundation. Yellowstone Forever and the National Park Service are working hand in hand on a strategic education plan to expand how visitors experience the park— integrating science, culture, conservation, and storytelling in new ways. Our vision is to reach more people where they are, while continuing the immersive, field-based learning that defines

the Institute. Education in Yellowstone has always been more than sharing facts; it is about awakening curiosity and a sense of shared responsibility for the world we all depend on.

As we prepare to celebrate this milestone, we invite you to be part of what comes next. Keep an eye out for more related to our 50th anniversary. In the meantime, join us for a class, share your Yellowstone story, or make a gift in support of education. Together, we will carry this legacy forward for the next fifty years of discovery, connection, and care for this remarkable place.

Donor Spotlight TOM STARCHER

After a 33-year career in public health, Tom Startcher retired in 2000 and left Georgia behind for the wide-open landscapes of Montana. His move wasn’t just about a change of scenery—it was driven by a long-held passion for wildlife photography. Settling into a cabin in the Bridger Mountains,

Tom began exploring his new surroundings, and it wasn’t long before Yellowstone National Park became the heart of his adventures.

From his first visit, Tom was captivated by Yellowstone’s stunning vistas, dramatic geology, and vibrant wildlife.

“It’s a place where Mother Nature shows off,” he says—a landscape so unique and magical that it feels like stepping into another world.

Encouraged by neighbors, Tom enrolled in a Yellowstone Forever Field Seminar. That first course, held at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch, opened his eyes to the park in ways he hadn’t imagined. Through these

This holiday season, shop gifts that give back to Yellowstone!

seminars, Tom has witnessed wolves caching food for later use, observed grizzly bears and black bear cubs, and learned how wildlife adapts to the park’s changing seasons. Each seminar revealed new layers of the park’s story—details and insights that most visitors might miss.

Over the years, Tom has taken dozens of field seminars.

Led by experts in biology, ornithology, photography, and more. These immersive experiences have deepened his understanding and appreciation of Yellowstone.

“Yellowstone is more than a destination,” Tom shares. “It’s a place of learning, inspiration,

and connection.” That’s why he gives back—to support the programs that helped him see the park in a whole new light.

His contributions ensure that others can experience the same sense of wonder and discovery.

“Yellowstone gave me a second career in curiosity,” Tom says. “Supporting it is my way of saying thank you.”

Protect Yellowstone for Generations to Come

Find the perfect gift for the Yellowstone enthusiast in your life (or for yourself!) this holiday season! From Yellowstone-related games, plush animals, clothes, collectibles, books, art, and more, there are gifts for all ages and interests. Every purchase supports vital projects and programs in Yellowstone National Park. Choose from the items below or search our entire store. The last day to place an order for guaranteed Christmas delivery is December 14th.

Yellowstone Holiday Gift Guide

As the year draws to a close and Yellowstone settles under its winter blanket of snow, we’re reminded of how vital your support is to the park we all love. From restoring trails and preserving fragile habitats to supporting groundbreaking wildlife research and inspiring the next generation of stewards, your generosity keeps Yellowstone thriving, season after season.

Thanks to you, bears roam safely through forests, trumpeter swans return to quiet lakes, and visitors from around the world experience the wonder of this one-of-a-kind place. But our work is never done. Yellowstone faces growing challenges—from invasive species to increasing visitation—and your continued support ensures we can meet them head-on.

As you reflect on the year and the wild places that inspire you, please consider making a special year-end gift to Yellowstone Forever. Your donation today will safeguard Yellowstone’s future and help protect its beauty and wildlife for generations to come.

Yellowstone Forever is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. Our mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy.

Yellowstone Forever P.O. Box 1857 Bozeman, MT 59771

SCAN HERE

Give today and be part of the enduring story of Yellowstone—

your park, your legacy, forever.

YELLOWSTONE.ORG

406-848-2400

PHOTO CREDITS: YF/NPS COVER: TOM MURPHY