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*WS RELEASE July 3, 2025*

CONTACTS: 

Contacts: 

Michael Pearlman, Office of Governor Mark Gordon, [email protected] 

Emilie Ritter, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, [email protected]

Laura Bell, East Yellowstone Collaborative, [email protected] 

 

*Absaroka Front Ranch Tour Highlights Success of Voluntary Program Supporting Working Lands and Wildlife*

 

CODY, Wyoming – Working lands and wildlife are what make Wyoming what it is – and are inextricably linked. Not only are working ranches a key piece of Wyoming’s economy, but they also provide critical habitat and maintain migration corridors and winter range for the state’s iconic big game species. Tuesday, Governor Mark Gordon visited four Absaroka Front ranches in partnership with the East Yellowstone Collaborative to showcase the importance of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) stewardship funding that keeps lands open and wildlife habitat protected.

“Wyoming leads the country on our migration corridor work because we respect private property owners. We have an incredible opportunity here to continue to cross boundaries and work together on big game migration,” Governor Gordon said. “The success from these landowner-focused initiatives is evident. Together, we should be celebrating the importance of agriculture and ranching more, as well as the importance of private property to wildlife populations, landscapes, communities and our State’s culture.”

The USDA-Wyoming Migratory Big Game Initiative included a $21 million investment in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in 2025 to protect iconic big game migrations through the voluntary implementation of conservation practices to assist private working lands. 

Originating from a Wyoming-led effort that supports working lands and wildlife migration, the program has secured more than 287,000 acres in habitat leases, and improved habitat on more than 500,000 acres. By introducing the first USDA habitat lease, the partnership helps to shift conservation from a regulatory model to one that incentivizes farmers and ranchers. This ensures working land remains productive, while also providing critical wildlife habitat. 

Cody rancher Mary Anne Dingus describes the initiative as a successful partnership that’s driven by the unique needs of each farm or ranch guided by a shared vision. 

“At our place, we’ve benefitted from cheatgrass control, we have a habitat lease,” Dingus says “When you scratch the surface you don’t have to go very deep before you find out that there are so many shared values. It’s just a matter of making the investment to make things happen. That’s hard to do, but a lot of great work has gotten done. This effort shows what’s possible.”

Elk, deer, pronghorn, and more migrate seasonally to survive the state’s harsh winters and hot summers. Working lands make up a significant portion of big game habitat in the state. This funding touches down in four priority areas and the Wind River Indian Reservation determined by Wyoming Game and Fish Department based on important migratory corridors and winter habitat.

"The Migratory Big Game Initiative has provided essential funding for range improvements to landowners in priority areas who already provide suitable habitat for our wildlife. Without continued support for these funds, we risk the loss of not only our large agricultural parcels, but critical habitat for iconic wildlife species,” said Erin Welty, senior Wyoming conservation associate with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and a partner in the East Yellowstone Collaborative.

The Initiative supports landowners as they complete projects that benefit their working lands and the wildlife that depend on them. Projects funded by the Natural Resource Conservation Service branch of the USDA include conservation easements, wildlife-friendly fencing, fence removal, water infrastructure, cheatgrass treatments, and more. In exchange for maintaining wildlife habitat on their property, producers can also receive annual “rental” payments funded by the Farm Service Agency branch of the USDA.

“This has been such a unified effort from the federal level to the state in support of working lands and wildlife migrations in the Greater Yellowstone Region,” said East Yellowstone Collaborative facilitator Laura Bell. “What makes this initiative so unusual is how closely landowners were involved in shaping it from the start. Their feedback was sought out, and they responded.”

Along with landowners, local producers, and conservation groups, Gov. Gordon visited sites at the Quarter Circle 11 Ranch, Lazy BV Ranch, a lower South Fork ranch, and Pitchfork Ranch to see the on-the-ground successes of this funding.

The success of the Wyoming Initiative led to its expansion into neighboring Idaho and Montana. The continuation of programs like this across the ecosystem is critical to preserving our working lands, agricultural heritage, and migratory wildlife.

"_Photos available Here. [ [link removed] ]_"

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