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 Cameron (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.
In spring 2021, Yellowstone released a State of the Park report that highlights the the park’s substantial successes and challenges over the past two years, along with many of the priorities and actions managers intend to pursue over the next two years and beyond.
Ranger Sklyer gives a wildlife safety talk at Old Faithful Visitor Education Center
NPS / Jacob Frank
Focus on the Core
Yellowstone Team First Key Actions: 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 Key Actions: Improve financial management practices, priority setting processes, project formulation, workforce performance
Improve Organizational Alignment and Effectiveness Key Actions: Develop more efficient operational and programmatic alignments to improve resource sharing, communications, and organizational performance
A grizzly sow looks out over the sage. As of 2016, an estimated 690 grizzly bears live in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
NPS / Jim Peaco
Strengthen the Yellowstone Ecosystem & Heritage Resources
Advance and Sustain the Yellowstone Ecosystem Key Actions: Understand and 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 (i.e., wildlife corridors); continue building scientific capacity to improve decision making within the ecosystem; improve environmental sustainability
Promote and Protect Yellowstone’s Cultural Heritage Key Actions: Understand and 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 Key Actions: Integrate NEPA, NHPA, legal requirements effectively into internal decision processes
Hikers in Yellowstone
NPS / Jacob Frank
Deliver a World Class Visitor Experience
Understand and Respond to Increased Visitor Use Key Actions: 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 Key Actions: Provide high levels of public safety, law enforcement, resource protection, emergency response, and other related services
Connect People to Yellowstone Key Actions: Build world class interpretive and educational experiences/programs using innovative technology, youth and community outreach, and citizen services
Improve Visitor Services and Amenities Key Actions: Provide exceptional facilities and amenities relating to accessibility, connectivity, recreational opportunities, and sustainable practices
Located at Mammoth Hot Springs, the Albright Visitor Center has park information, exhibits on park history and wildlife, ranger programs, a bookstore, and restrooms.
NPS / Neal Herbert
Invest in Infrastructure
Build Effective Administrative Framework Key Actions: Develop infrastructure investment strategy, improve condition data, project scoping, planning and design processes, and short and long-term fund source priorities
Improve Condition and Capacity of Employee Housing Key Actions: Improve existing housing, replace obsolete housing, identify external housing partnership opportunities
Improve Parkwide Transportation Infrastructure Key Actions: Improve condition of park bridges, roads, parking lots, and other transportation priorities
Improve Condition of Historic Structures, Visitor Service, Public Health Infrastructure Key Actions: Improve condition of deteriorating historic structures, wastewater treatment facilities, lift stations, water systems, entrance stations, concessioner facilities
The Gardiner Gateway project involved the park, many local, private, state, and federal partners. It restored and enhanced the park’s only year-round entrance, the North Entrance which includes the park’s iconic Roosevelt Arch.
NPS / Neal Herbert
Build Coalitions and Partnerships
Make the NPS a Better Partner
Ensure Alignment with Yellowstone Forever Philanthropic Goals
Build Trust with Gateway Communities
Honor Tribal Legacies and Heritage
Cultivate Relationships with Elected Officials
Strengthen Conservation, Environmental, Economic, and Recreation Partnerships
