Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative
200, 1350 Railway Ave T1W 1P6 Canmore, AB, Canada

The thought of a world without healthy plants, animals and wild places is a scary thought. But luckily, you are part of the massive network of people helping to connect and protect habitat so people and nature can thrive far into the future. Happy Halloween!

How to have a #wildsafe Halloween from WildSafeBC!

"On a larger scale, the First Nations’ recovery work reflects the larger movement within their communities to address food sovereignty, cultural survival, and their link to first foods. Members of both Nations point to the physical, cultural, and spiritual health benefits of eating moose, caribou, saskatoon and other berries, and many other plants, which provided sustenance for them for hundreds of generations." Great to see this article in Civil Eats on West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations' work to bring back mountain caribou to their traditional territories in B.C.'s Peace Region. An inspiring and informative piece featuring the incredible work of our partner David Moskowitz Wildlife Tracking and Photography.

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks commission gave the go-ahead this week to work on an agreement creating an 832-acre conservation easement on the Maclay Ranch south of Lolo National Forest. The highway between an existing easement and this new one remains a problem for wildlife, but the Montana Department of Transportation needs to know that both sides of a road will remain undeveloped before it will consider building a wildlife crossing structure. The conservation easement could finally start that process in motion. This parcel provides a really important corridor that connects important private and public lands and forms this corridor across the rapidly growing Bitterroot Valley, says Ken McDonald, FWP Wildlife Bureau Chief.

Topics to share your views on include: ecological corridors; Indigenous leadership in conservation; diversity, inclusion, and accessibility; urban parks; and more. Tomorrow (Oct. 30) is the last day to share feedback: www.letstalkparkscanada.ca/ Some key considerations: National parks need to become a part of a larger network of protected and connected areas. Why? Ecological integrity within national parks can be impacted by what happens on adjacent roads, communities an...d provincial lands. When it comes to advancing ecological corridor conservation, guidelines from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) should be used: https://bit.ly/3kF8ue0 Both short- and long-term commitment to creating more space for Indigenous voices and leadership. See more

Can you guess which famous female wolf made the journey of more than 40,000 square-miles (100,000 square-kilometers) in 1991? Hint: This wolf's story intertwines with Y2Y’s beginnings, and to this day, inspires the work we do for all wide-ranging wildlife. Even better hint: Read the blog post to reveal the answer! https://y2y.net//mammals-on-the-move-show-why-protected-a/

Many landscapes across the Yellowstone-to-Yukon region are getting colder and even welcoming a blanket of snow. The animals that live here have also been preparing for the change in seasons. Bears’ presence in wild places is an important part of what makes this region special. From summer through early autumn, we are reminded to do our part to share space with them as they move, mate and search for food. As October transitions to November, we must not forget these amazing animals, but learn more about their winter ways. Read on for the fascinating world of hyperphagia, denning, and why bears need connected, protected habitats year-round.

Who doesn't love a good wildlife migration story, especially one as impressive as this! When fall rolled around last year, Harper the heron began migrating south. That's when she showed off how remarkable she was, migrating over open ocean for more than 1,500 kilometers (932 miles). On October 8th of this year, the great blue heron harnessed the wind and took an incredible 68-hour non-stop journey from Bay of Chaleur in Quebec to southern Georgia. See more from Heron Observation Network of Maine.

Many of the most affordable and most effective Covid-19 recovery solutions lie in protecting, conserving and restoring nature. Today, Y2Y stands with 20 other top conservation and sustainable development groups urging policymakers to take a #NaturePositive response to the pandemic. These last months highlight the critical connection between the health of nature and the health of humans. These connections must be better reflected in our priorities, policies and actions. Read more in recommendations just released: https://y2y.net//nature-based-solutions-for-people-planet/

Karsten Heuer, Y2Y's former president, is among the 11 Canadian environmental trailblazers that author and biologist Jamie Bastedo profiles in his new book Protectors of the Planet: Environmental Trailblazers from 7 to 97. The book highlight the work, lives and actions of these folks as they've championed environmental change on various fronts across Canada.

A big cheer for waterways protection in the Yellowstone to Yukon region today! Send your thanks to Senator Jon Tester for introducing the Montana Headwaters Legacy Act and encourage him to make it into law. This bill will protect 336 of the wildest river miles in the state, a region part of the bigger Yellowstone to Yukon system. It also boosts Montana’s outdoor recreation industry and safeguards the state's outdoor heritage by protecting some of the world's pristine and iconic rivers. Congrats to Montanans for Healthy Rivers and all those who took part in this important process so far. You can join the movement and help protect drinking water and clean rivers for decades to come.

Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are inextricably linked in the battle against climate change. We can tackle it together if we build a foundation of mutual respect. It starts with acknowledgment: of land, of history, and of Indigenous leadership. Healing the environment can also heal communities, writes Dr. Nikoosh Carlo.

Y2Y's conservation scientist, Aerin Jacob, talks about recently released research about Banff's wolves and why it's important to think big when it comes to giving wildlife room to roam. There's a need to consider beyond individuals, even beyond individual packs, to stable, functioning populations across landscapes. We have to think about what happens adjacent to these large protected areas; how activities outside the park affect ecological integrity inside the park, and how management of provincial lands, for instance in this area, has an affect on ecological integrity inside the park," she says.