Strategic Priorities

 

In spring 2019, the park announced new strategic priorities that will guide decision making over the next five years. The priorities revolve around the concepts of core, resources, experience, infrastructure, and partnerships. Superintendent Cam Sholly and the senior leadership team developed these priorities with significant input from field staff around the park. Each priority has key focus areas and a range of measurable actions that will continually be refined as work progresses.

 
 
a large group of people cutting a white ribbon in front of new housing
Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly and Civil Engineer Kyle Stone cut a ribbon in front of brand-new employee housing in Mammoth Hot Springs.

NPS / Jacob Frank

Focusing on the CORE

Support the Yellowstone team first
Improve employee housing, work conditions, health and wellness, team engagement, interdivisional respect and collaboration, accountability, professional development, hiring processes, internal communications

Improve strategic management and business acumen platforms
Improve financial management practices, priority setting processes, project formulation, workforce performance

Advance operational/organizational alignment and effectiveness
Develop more efficient operational and programmatic alignments to improve resource sharing, communications, and organizational performance

 
a bison standing on a snow-covered road on a snowy day
A bull bison standing in the road on a windy day near Swan Lake.

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

Strengthening the Yellowstone Ecosystem & Heritage RESOURCES

Advance and sustain the Yellowstone ecosystem
Understand/Respond more effectively to climate change impacts; advance and sustain wildlife management and large landscape conservation efforts, identify new cooperative conservation opportunities with states and partners; continue building scientific capacity to improve decision making; improve environmental sustainability

Protect, preserve, and improve cultural resources
Understand/Respond to environmental changes affecting cultural resources, build effective climate adaptation strategies and response planning, improve conditions of historic structures, protect archeological sites, collections, and archives; promote Tribal heritage and collaboration

Ensure effective resource planning and compliance
Integrate NEPA, NHPA, legal requirements effectively into internal decision processes

Advance sustainability
Lead/Deliver on sustainability issues and collaborate with partners; Improve energy conservation and renewable technologies; Improve water management and efficiencies/upgrades in treatment plants, pipes, and fixtures; Reduce fuel use and GHG emissions by transforming size, types of vehicles, and technologies; Reduce waste and prevent pollution; Adapt infrastructure to a changing climate; Inventory, identify, map, and evaluate bone yards, dump sites, and environmental and hazardous waste locations

 
a person in a park ranger uniform at an entrance station handing out a park map
Park ranger at East Entrance handing out a park map.

NPS / Jacob Frank

Delivering a World-Class Visitor EXPERIENCE

Understand and respond to increased visitor use
Develop effective visitor use strategy that focuses on protecting park resources, staffing/infrastructure, improving visitor enjoyment/recreation opportunities, and collaborating with gateway communities

Protect people and resources
Provide high levels of public safety, law enforcement, resource protection, emergency response, and other related services

Connect people to Yellowstone
Build world-class interpretive and educational experiences/programs using innovative technology, youth and community outreach, and citizen services

Improve visitor services and amenities
Provide exceptional facilities and amenities relating to accessibility, connectivity, recreational opportunities, and sustainable practices

 
a paved road winding through a mountainous landscape
New viewpoint and pullouts on the Tower to Chittenden Road Improvement Project (near Dunraven Pass).

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

Investing in INFRASTRUCTURE

Build effective administrative framework
Develop infrastructure investment strategy, improve condition data, project scoping, planning and design processes, and short and long-term fund source priorities

Improve condition of employee housing and workspaces
Improve existing housing, replace obsolete housing, identify external housing partnership opportunities

Improve and maintain condition of transportation-related infrastructure
Improve condition of park bridges, roads, parking lots, and other transportation priorities

Improve condition of historic structures and other cultural resources
Rehabilitate condition of high-priority historic assets

Improve condition of visitor service and public health-related infrastructure
Improve condition of Wastewater critical systems and fresh water critical systems; Liquid propane gas and electrical generation/distribution systems; Entrance stations, amphitheaters, and campgrounds; Concession-assigned facilities and infrastructure; Trails, boardwalks, and marinas

 
a large group of people standing in front of a large white teepee
A group of park partners at the Teepee Village near Madison Junction (an installation that was part of Mountain Time Arts' series titled "Yellowstone Revealed") during Yellowstone's 150th anniversary.

NPS / Jacob W. Frank

Building Coalitions & PARTNERSHIPS

Become a higher-performing Yellowstone team
Build relationships within/across division, district, and programmatic boundaries; Seek new ways of collaboration/partnership for the benefit of One Yellowstone; Actively communicate across all park and NPS levels

Strengthen Yellowstone Forever and philanthropic capacity
Support ongoing capital/programmatic investments with Yellowstone Forever; Continue building a robust philanthropic platform; Collaboratively develop/prioritize future projects

Build trust with gateway communities
Strengthen partner relations with gateway community leaders; Communicate on regular schedules with community stakeholders; Develop responsive actions and mutual collaboration areas

Honor Tribal legacies and heritage
Cultivate close relationships with Tribes; Convey appropriate Native American heritage through education, public outreach, and programming efforts and Tribal connections

Cultivate relationships with elected officials
Build and maintain strong relationships with members of Congress; Strengthen close relationships with political officials at state/local levels

Strengthen conservation, environmental, business and recreation coalitions
Cultivate close relationships with conservation, concessioner, business, recreation, and environmental partners who share values consistent with the NPS mission and Yellowstone

 
sun setting behind a row of white teepees

2023 State of the Park

View and download Yellowstone's 2023 State of the Park report.

a wide view of a mountain range and small lake after a rainstorm

2021 State of the Park

View and download Yellowstone's 2021 State of the Park report.

Last updated: March 14, 2023

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168

Phone:

307-344-7381

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