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 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 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 Skyler 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
• Build Global Partnerships