A new initiative in Wyoming is changing the face of wildlife conservation funding, and it's already seen huge success in its first year.
It is built on the state's stunning mountains, rivers full of fish, and forests where bears and wolves roam - all that makes Wyoming unlike any other.
This wildlife is managed by the Wyoming Department of Fish and Game, and anglers and fishermen fund 85% of the cost. This occurs largely through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, as well as taxes on related sporting goods through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Act.
But as we all know, hunters and fishermen are not the only ones who are fascinated by wildlife. The number one reason people travel to Wyoming is to see wild animals, and wildlife viewing alone makes up nearly half a billion dollars in state revenue. It also employs more than 10,000 people.
However, the tourism industry that I am a part of as a wildlife guide contributes very little when it comes to funding wildlife conservation.
Taylor Phillips, owner of EcoTour Adventures in Jackson, Wyoming, felt that gap was unfair and wanted to do something about it. Since founding his business in 2008, Phillips has donated more than $115,000 to nonprofit organizations working to preserve the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
Phillips says he would have expected other wildlife tourism companies to follow suit, but few have.
Wanting to change the narrative, Phillips partnered with Chris McBarnes, president of the Wildlife Trust, a game and fish management partner organization that helps fund wildlife projects throughout Wyoming. Together, the two men created The wildlife tourism of tomorrowA nonprofit organization that funds conservation by targeting businesses and people who depend on wildlife for their livelihoods. These are companies that run wildlife tours, and hotels, restaurants, and stores that serve wildlife watchers.
By tapping into this tourism circuit, the new group has "huge potential to change the face of wildlife conservation funding in Wyoming," says Phillips. Diane Schober, executive director of the Wyoming Bureau of Tourism, agrees, calling the wildlife tourism of tomorrow a "critical initiative" for wildlife conservation, especially as hunting returns decline.
Donations from individuals and businesses are collected through the Wildlife Tourism website, and donors have the option to select which conservation projects their money helps them with.
One project currently in need of funding is the sagebrush restoration in Grand Teton National Park. In the early 20th century, several thousand acres of land in the park were cultivated for hay production, fragmenting the wildlife habitat. Since 2009, the park has been working to restore 4,500 acres of former hayfields to pastures and grasses, a multi-year project with an annual budget of over $400,000. Funding through Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow donations helps keep the project going.
The nonprofit also uses the money it raises to build wildlife crossings on highways and install wildlife-friendly fencing along migration corridors. Other contributions go toward restoring wetland and radio elk for scientific study.
Typically, projects that help wildlife are designed by organizations such as Trout Unlimited, the US Forest Service, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The project's developers then partner with other interested groups to obtain financing through the state's underfunded Department of Hunting and Fisheries. Wildlife tourism of tomorrow is stepping in to help fill funding gaps.
Since October 2021, Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow has donated more than $125,000 raised from 68 companies and dozens of individuals. One of her projects with Trout Unlimited in 2020 contributed $20,000 to keep hatchlings of ringed trout from getting caught in the irrigation system.
Leslie Steen of Trout Unlimited appreciated the help: "I've seen trips around the area's wildlife and it's really cool to think that those same companies are now giving back to the local fish."
Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow grew rapidly in its first year, with support from the state of Wyoming. Mark Gordon has given it more clarity. Meanwhile, Phillips has spent a lot of time spreading the word that people who love wildlife should step up. For a long time, hunters and fishermen have been doing the heavy lifting.
Just a suggestion, other western countries, but maybe it's time to join.
Kelsey Wellington is one of its contributors book on the runAn independent, non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating dialogue about the West. She works as a wildlife guide in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Top photo: Cora Leach
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