Mountain Journal

08/06/2025

A federal court in Missoula has sided with a coalition of environmental groups to block a federal decision to remove Western gray wolves from protections warranted under the Endangered Species Act. In his Aug. 5 ruling, Judge Donald Molloy wrote that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the act in its 2024 decision.

“Ultimately, management of Canis lupus must not be by a political yo-yo process," Molloy wrote.

In 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied further federal protections to wolves in Western states, prompting lawsuit

08/05/2025

The Gallatin River flows approximately 120 miles north from Yellowstone National Park to its confluence in Three Forks, Montana, where it joins the Madison and Jefferson rivers to form the Missouri.

Now, the Gallatin and Madison could receive federal Wild and Scenic protections if Congress passes the Greater Yellowstone Recreation Enhancement and Tourism Act.

If passed, new bill would add sections of Madison and Gallatin Rivers to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System

08/05/2025

Need updates on active wildfires in Greater Yellowstone? Watch Duty is providing Mountain Journal with real-time fire info. Click here for more details: https://bit.ly/4m8mooW

08/04/2025

Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front has long been characterized by ancient, gnarled limber pines with distinctively broad crowns and wavering limbs, carved over centuries by the harsh conditions unique to their rugged landscape.

But new research suggests a combination of white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle and climate change is placing some Montana limber pine populations “under extraordinary threat.”

Since its introduction in the 1930s, white pine blister rust has caused extensive crown dieback and mortality in the charismatic white pine trees across the Rocky Mountain Front

08/04/2025

Mountain Journal is turning 8! That’s 8 years of reporting the stories that shape the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem — all without a paywall!

To mark the milestone, we’re asking 100 people to join us! A generous donor will match every dollar up to $10,000, so your monthly gift makes double the impact.

And here's how you can help:
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For eight years, Mountain Journal has delivered in-depth, independent journalism about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem — and we’ve never put it behind a paywall.Now, as we turn 8, we’re asking 100 readers to step up as monthly supporters.✅ Join ...

07/30/2025

The U.S. Forest Service has been searching for an identity almost since the federal government began managing trees in the 19th century.

Last week, Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins announced the latest plan to fundamentally reorganize the Forest Service, falling in line with President Donald Trump's executive orders. Today, at a hearing in the Senate Agriculture Committee, critics weighed in. "The reason for the short notice is because the administration put out a half-baked plan with no notice,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

Read Robert Chaney's analysis below.

In Senate hearing, critics question regional office closures, consolidation of wildland firefighting service

07/30/2025

In a unanimous vote July 15 that was met with a round of applause, Park County commissioners approved a resolution to create the S**e Creek Planning and Zoning District.

The commission’s vote puts the S**e Creek drainage south of Livingston on a path toward restricting high-impact commercial enterprises as Park County residents grapple with development pressure wrought by the region’s recreational appeal and proximity to Yellowstone National Park.

Amanda Eggert has the story, first published by Montana Free Press.

Park County Commission unanimously supports citizen-initiated zoning district following local opposition to high-density resort proposed by Miami-based developer

07/29/2025

There's an app for that?

iNaturalist is a free nonprofit platform where users can upload “observations” of any living organism and add them to a global biodiversity database where other users and an in-app algorithm help identify what they have seen.

Greater Yellowstone is home to a bustling community of citizen scientists where nearly 21,000 iNaturalist users have uploaded more than 365,000 observations. Read more about the free app and its resources such as plant and wildlife guides.

As life becomes increasingly digital, some are turning to apps to learn more about the natural world

07/29/2025

Montana Geology professor Rob Thomas leads field trips in Paradise Valley. The lessons? Contrasting 2.5-billion-year-old-plus Archean-age rocks with Young Earth theory along the Yellowstone River. Read Robert Chaney's feature story below.

Montana Geology professor contrasts Archean-age rocks with Young Earth theory along the Yellowstone River

07/25/2025

As Washington, D.C. continues slash-and-burn policies for federal agencies, the USDA plans to close the Forest Service's nine regional offices responsible for 193 million acres of public land.

Robert Chaney looks at what it means for Greater Yellowstone and the Region 1 Headquarters in Missoula, Montana.

As Washington continues slash-and-burn policies for federal agencies, USDA announces consolidation of offices responsible for 193 million acres of public land

07/24/2025

In June, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for a consolidation of wildland firefighting resources into one agency by 2026. The House Appropriations Committee has reservations and this week questioned how this would improve the way we currently fight fire. Robert Chaney has the story.

House Appropriations Committee questions how Trump plan to combine Forest Service, Interior firefighters would improve existing system

07/22/2025

As grizzly bear populations increase and their range expands, Montana wildlife officials have launched a new online dashboard to help track bear-related incidents. The tool comes as lawmakers push to remove federal protections for the grizzlies, including a proposal that cleared a key congressional vote last week.

FWP providing tool for tracking grizzly conflicts while Greater Yellowstone lawmakers continue push to delist