[…] of recreating on public lands, features missing from the previous approach. An impetus for the current fee model was the 1990s closure of a popular campground in Yellowstone National Park that brought in more than enough fee revenue to cover its operating costs; however, the park did not retain the money it generated. All […]
[…] concerns and, thereby, mitigate the perverse incentives that have frustrated the recovery of other species. In 1995 and 1996, the National Park Service introduced 31 wolves into Yellowstone National Park, where wolves had been absent since 1926. Today, more than 500 wolves reside on public and private lands throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Based […]
[…] change brings potential to reduce the conflict between humans and wildlife. Elk rely on the generosity of private landowners as they move along their migration corridors, leaving Yellowstone National Park for the open, agricultural fields of Paradise Valley in search of winter forage. Yet the presence of elk is a disease risk for ranchers, […]
[…] the important role private lands play in benefiting many of the public goods we love, like clean water and abundant wildlife. Conserving wildlife migration corridors in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, creative ways to mitigate the threat of brucellosis, and how we can apply free market environmentalism to improve our public lands management are also discussed.
This article was originally published in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Superlatives abound when describing the natural wonders of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). It is routinely described as “one of the largest nearly intact temperate ecosystems on Earth” and is renowned for the geological wonders, abundant wildlife, and scenic vistas of Yellowstone and Grand […]
[…] than 21,000 miles of trails are in need of repair across the system. Just last month, an aging water pipeline in the Grand Canyon failed, leading to water shortages. In Yellowstone, park officials recently closed a bridge near Old Faithful due to structural concerns. Why such neglect? It all comes down to incentives. Politicians love to cut ribbons on new parks […]
[…] on new parks or expand existing units, but mundane projects like upgrading leaky wastewater systems or fixing crumbling trails and other infrastructure fall to the wayside. Today, Yellowstone alone has more than half a billion dollars in unmet maintenance needs, including 10 wastewater systems in need of replacement. For years, PERC, where I now […]
[…] THE FULL REPORT Summary Montana’s Paradise Valley is a rural landscape with deep-rooted ranching traditions, scenic views, and ample recreational opportunities located at the northern gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Surrounded by national forest lands, Paradise Valley and its ranching community support a range of wildlife including elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn […]
[…] and advancing today, albeit sometimes slowly. Second, we did not fully recognize that even when well-identified markets are not present—say, for wolves to live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—market forces can still come into play, and sometimes in unexpected ways. While there is no formal market where buyers and sellers can exchange protection rights […]
[…] clean water, or open spaces. The ways these public resources are connected to private lands, however, are not always obvious. Consider a few examples. In the Greater Yellowstone region, recent research has revealed the extent to which publicly managed elk, deer, and other species use private lands for habitat—particularly large ranches and farms. Using […]