Yellowstone's northern range : where nature takes its course

4 Pages·1998·0.29 MB·English

by  United States. National Park Service

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Yellowstone's Northern Range u*>.[hi
Where Nature Takes Course
Its
UnitedStatesDepartmentoftheInterior
NATIONALPARKSERVICE
Dear Yellowstone Neighbors:
Iurgedmystafflopreparethisnewsletterbecausetheconservationofparkresourcesistoo
importantanissuelobeaddressedwithanythinglessthanthefullattentionofcitizenslikeyourself
Yellowstone'sNorthernRangehasbeencontroversialformostofthiscentury,whetherthedebateis
overelknumbers,bisonmanagement,predatorcontrol,orgrasslandecology Thepublicis
watching,andhasimportanlquestionsthaideservecarefulanswers
Thisnewsletterintroducesawealthofnew researchabouttheNorthernRangethathasbeen
donebyrespectedscientistsfromadozenuniversitiesandmanystateandfederalagencies These
researchfindingshavebeenpublishedinthenation'sleadingscientificjournals,whichrequirestrict
adherencetoobjectiveresearchandrepresentthehighestscientific"court"intheland. Sciencehas
taughtusthatawildlandecosystemcannotbejudgedbythestandardsofcommercialrangelands,
andthattheverdictontheNorthernRangeistobefoundintheabundanceofplantandanimallife
thatcontinuetothrivethereyearafteryear.
It'salsoimportanttorecognizethatforYellowstone,asforanywildland.sciencecannot
providealltheanswers WetreasureYellowstonepreciselybecauseitslandscapehasbeen
determinedlargelybynaturalprocessesratherthanbyhumandecisions Questionsaboutits
managementinevitablytouchupondeep-seatedvaluesthatarebasedlessuponfactsthanuponon
howeachofusbelievesweshouldrelatetoournaturalenvironment
Pleasegivethisnewslettersometime. Althoughnoamountofsciencecansettlesuchdebates,
weintheNationalParkServicebelievethatonlybyunderstandingwhatwehavelearnedthrough
researchcanwemovethediscussionabouttheNorthernRangeforward
Sincerely.
'^rcWv^fC
Superintendent
YellowstoneNationalPark
When
theU.S.Congressset America;someweresimplyshot. Whencontrol
Yellowstone'sboundariesin 1872, effortsresultedintheslaughterofthousandsofelkin
theprimarygoalwaspreservationof the 1960s,apublicoutcryledtohearingsheldby
thearea'sgeysersandothergeothermalwonders; U.S.SenatorMcGee(Wyoming)andreductions
littlethoughtwasgiventothemigratoryhabitsofits cametoanendin 1968. Atthattime,thenumberof
wildlife,aboulwhichlittlewasthenknown The elkwinteringontheNorthernRangewasdownto
pa—anreke'slkst.ihmbiaigtsheoendr,3ep8lr,eo0vn0at0gihgoonrmsa,zpirdnoegevriw,dilebdilsigufhmeomcmealrslheredaenpug,negaufnlodartes RTaoongMea?nyElkatHomeon the aabnodutlShi4rn,oc5ue0g0ht.hoeunt,twhieldUlniifteemdaSntaagteesrshaatveYeclolmowesttoone
moose. Buteachyeartheaccumulatingsnowspurs recognizeeachspecies'abilityto"naturally"regulate
mostofthemtolowerareaswherethewinteris Fordecadesitwascommonlythoughtth—atthe itsownnumberwhenwedonotinterveneunduly
warmeranddrier,wherethereismoreopenrange elkwere"overgrazing"theNorthernRange that throughourlanduseandotheractivities. Whenthe
andfewerforests. theywereeatingthevegetationmorequicklythanit processofnaturalregulationispermittedtotake
Abouthalfofthe30,000elkthatsummerinthe couldrecoveranddamagingtheplantcommunities, place,there'sno"right"numberofelkforthe
parkspendthewinteronanareaknownasthe includingwillowandaspen. Fromthispointof NorthernRange Instead,theelkpopulationfluctu-
NorthernRange,whichcovers600squaremiles view,inordertomaintain"therightbalance" atesovertimeasitsbirthanddeathratesareaffected
alongtheLamarandYellowstonenverbasins, betweenelkandtheirhabitat,theelkmustbe byacombinationotfactors,includingwinter
overlappingtheboundarybetweenWyomingand reducedperiodically,althoughbisonandpronghom severity,thequantityandqualityofavailableforage,
Montana. Athirdofthisrangeisonpublicand havealsobeenblamedtorovergrazing. Asaresult emigration,parasites,disease,andpredationbyother
privatelandsnorthofthepark,wherewildungulates ofthisbelief.Yellowstone'sgrazerswereonce animals. Elkarealsosubjecttohuntingwhenthey
oftencompetewithlivestockforgrasslandinwinter. trappedandshippedtootherrangesacrossNorth leavethepark
Sometimes referredto as
"America\sSerengeti
because ofthe large herds of
wildlife thatgraze on its
rolling expanse, the Northern
Range has also been the
stomping groundfor
generations ofwildlife experts,
politicians, andconcerned
citizens who have wrangled
overhow to best "manage"
this natural treasure. Why the
controversy?
Althoughtheelkpopulation winteringontheNorthern
Rangequadrupledafterreductionsstoppedin 1968, the
fluctuationshavebecomesmallerastheyincreasingly
reflectnaturalpopulationcontrolratherthanhuman
interference. Thecurrentpopulationlevels, whichare
determinedbyaerialsurreys, mayapproximatethenum-
berofelkpresentontherangebeforesignificanthuman
interventionbegan inthe 19thcentury.
TheEffectofNaturalRegulationontheNorthern Range
Inaworldwhereprogressisgenerallyassoc- AlthoughthenorthernYellowstoneelkdepend hascontinuedtoprovidearobustsourceofnutrition
iatedwithourAbility10controlandshapeour inpartuponpublicandprivatelandsnorthofthe forlarge,healthyungulateherdsyearafteryear,and
physicalenvironmenttosomeidealvisionoftheway park,itappearsthatthecooperativeeffortthathas despitecertainlocalizedimpacts,elkdonotappear
wethinkthingsshouldbe.theideaofaccepting developedovertheyearshassustainedalarge, tohavehadanysignificantlong-termeffectsonthe
naturalregulationhasbeenconirovetMal. It's thrivingelkherdthatisvaluedbyYellowstone overallbiodiversityofnativeanimalsandplantson
Obviouslynotappropriateforallanimalsinallpark-., visitorsaswellasbyhuntersandotherwildlife therange Thechangesinvegetationthathave
orinanysituationwhereitisnecessarytoprotect supporter. AccordingtotheMontanaDepartment causedsomeobserverstoraisealarmsarecithernot
humanlifeorproperty Butthreedecadesof ofFish.WildlifeandParks,thiselkherdhasthe theresultofelk"overpopulation''orarepartoflong-
experiencehaveshownthat,combinedwithregu- highesteconomicvalueofanyinthestate. termecologicalprocessessuchasclimateand
latedhuntinginthesurroundingnationalforests, Buthowhasnaturalregulationolelkaffected predationthatweareonlybeginningtounderstand
naturalregulationhascontrolledthesizeoftheelk therangeitselfandtheotheranimalswholivethere'' Someofthekeyresearchfindings,whichhave
population. AlthoughthenumberofelkWintering Inresponsetothecontinuingcontroversyoverthe beensummarizedintherecentlypublishedbook.
ontheNorthernRangehasincreasedinresponseto conditionoftherange,in1986Congressmandateda Yellowstone'sNorthernRange:Complexityand
theconversionofmorethan10.000acresnorthof studyontheresultsofnaturalregulation This ChangeinaWddlandEcosystem,arereportedinthe
theparkfromlivestocktowildlifeuseandincreased researchinitiative,oneofthelargestinthehistoryof articlesthatfollow Althoughthereisstillmuchthat
migrationtothatland,ithasalsorespondedto theNationalParkService(NPS>.encompassing needstobestudied,andexpertswillcontinueto
weathervariationsandotherenvironmentalfactors morethan40projectsbyNPSbiologists,university disagreeonsomepoints,thisresearchhasfundamen-
Elkincreasedduringyearswithmildwintersandwet researcher.,andscientistsfromotherfederaland tallyalteredthenatureofthegrazingdebatein
summers,anddeclinedafterthedroughtandfiresof stateagencies,hasmadesubstantialprogressin Yellowstoneandmayinfluencethemanagementof
1988 Since1990,annualtallpopulationesiimalc\ clarifyingthecomplexecologyoftherange. The wildlandrangesthroughouttheworld
havefluctuatedbetween16.000and20.000 researchresultsdemonstratethattheNorthernRange
What is Wildlife For?
.4 ChangingView
Theshifttowardnaturalregulationofwildlifeto deliberatereductionsintheelkpopulation.
theextentfeasibleispartofalongevolutioninthe Bythe1960s,anincreasingnumberofecolo- "The natural resource policiesof
publicsviewolthepurposeofanationalparkand gistswerechallengingthebeliefthattheNorthern the National Park Service are
tlhieshreodle12o5fwyeialrdsliafego.WthheenprYiemlalroywsgtooanlewwaasstoesptraobt-ect RhearndgsesweeakstohveeirrgorwanzedpopTulhaetyiopnrolpevoesledsotothlaetttthheeirelk aimed at providingtheAmerican
certainspecificnaturalwondersandhuntingwas numberswouldbe"naturally"regulatedbytheir people with the opportunityto
permitted Theparkwasnotstaffedorequipped environment Thisview,whichhasbeenborneout enjoyand benefitfrom natural
duringitscarhyearstopresentthewidesprcid byactualexperienceontheNorthernRangesinceelk
slaughterofwildlifethatswepttheWestinthe1870s reductionsended,hasbecomepanoftheanswerto environmentsevolving through
andearly 1880s.andmanyofYellowstone'swildhle thelargerquestion."Whatiswildlifefor?" Instead natural processes minimally
tphoaptultahteipoanrskwceorueldnesaerrlvyedaescaimraetseerdvoiRrectoogrneistzoicnkgthe opflafnotcaunsdinagnsiomlaellyspoencitehse,ptrhoetegcotailonofofwiilnddliivfeidual —influenced by human actions."
surroundingareawithjume.sportsmenandother managementhasbecometopreservethewholesetol NationalParkServiceManagement
conservationistsgavewidespreadsupporttothe complexnaturalprocessesthatshapeanecosystem Policies. 1988
huntingbanthatwentintoeffectin1883. Inherentinthisapproachisanacceptanceotthetact
Fromthenuntilthe1930s,wildlifemanagement thatsomeyearswillbnngheavywintermortalityfor
waslargelyamatterofprotectingthe"good" someanimals,followedbyperiodsolpopulation
animals(elk.deer,andothergameanimals)and growth
eliminatingthe"bad"ones(wolves,coyotesand Justasranchersandfarmersseeyearlyvaria-
otherpredators) Butastheprotectedanimals tionsingrowmgconditionsandthesuccessoftheir
becamelesswaryotpeopleandeasiertosee.the crops,somustYellowstone'swildliferespondto
park'swildlifebecamevaluednotonlyasasourceof changesinitsenvironment,whichmayincludefire.
gamelorhuntersoutsidetheparkhutasanimportant Hoods,anddrought Butwhereanimalmortalityon
visitorattractioninthepark,andbothpredatorsand aranchmaybeconsidered a"wasle."amongwild
theirpreycametoberegardedasworthyofpreser- animalsiliscrucialtothesunw.ii.>iman)othei
vation plantandanimalspecies
Wenowrecognizethatplantandanimal
communitiesmaychangesignificantlyfromoneyear
landcentury>tothenextinresponsetochanging
environmentalconditions Butforalongtime,
biologiststhoughtnaturalprocessestendedtowarda
stable-.talethatcouldbepredicted,withthegoalof
maintainingsomeideal"balanceotnature"between
predatorsandprey,grazersandtheirforage. Conse-
quently,managementotYellowstone'sNorthern
Rangewasexpectedtokeepanimalnumberssteady
andminimizewintermortality,agoalthatrequired
What
Overgrazing?
is
;"tThoemsey,sttehmefpuonicnttioinsitnhge,eocroasryesttehimn.gsIs
/.v the Grass Greeneron the breakingdown? Arewegettingan
OtherSideofthe Fence? invasionofunpalatableplants,or
breakingdownsoilssothattheirrate
reexsceeapArtlcthihnoodnurgothuhegphlNtaonryttesahroesnr,nugnRrgaarznaignzegedhdaopselossthsnooatwrnerettdahlualice,re,the oTsfheaentu'ttshraiwtehniatntrYeeIcl'ylmcollwiosnotgkoininseg.gaotTi.hnegArentfodoprIoedt,o?na'st
seasonalproteincontentorvolumeofgrass,orthe agrazingsystem,thisisahealthy
seedlingestablishmentorgrowthofbigsagebrush one."
Howcanthisbe'1 F.Ikmoveacrosstherangeas — 1995interviewwithSamMcNaughton,
fgroarsasgeisngducroinndgittihoeni!rdmiocstattev,ulsneelrdaobmlegprearziiondga(onrdbsand botanyprofessoratSyracuseUniversity
generallymovingtohigherelevationsbeforethe
plantsflowerandseed Inaddition,theeffectof
processingplantsthroughanungulate'sdigestive
tractisverydifferentfromplantsbeinglefttodiea-s height Mostoftheaspenthataregrowingoldon
leavesandstemsontheground. Gra/ersenhancethe theNorthernRangenowwerejustgettingstarted
Whenconcernaboutovergrazingfirstsurfaced chyocolviensgaonfdnubtyrisepnetsedbiyngtiullpintghethdeescooimlpwoistihtithoenir durinWghitlheeptehrisioedvifdreonmcethseugIg8e7s0tssttohattheth1e8s9p0asrseness
inthe1920s,opinionsonhowtheNorthernRange process,convertingplantmattertofecesandunne ofNorthernRange'swillowsandaspenscannotbe
cd"rosimhteoersuiltadi"cthllaoiivoekusstweoedcrk!eobeSacvsiaeelndutaiotsnetstrhahenagdoensnloygrcaalvzeaaeirdlaibbdyleeaof twhiatthaTtrhheeeiqrauipocpwkenlayrcaacnrycccealseosdfesbt.aheckNoirnttohetrhnesRyasntgeemiaslong ewgxroaposldsaeyisnevadengdseitsmaatpgileoybnrbhuyasshthbeeTsehinezesptoaufrdktihesedterfloakrngplleoyspsuslutaphtpaionornitt,ssits
howunmampulatedwildlandgrazingsystems affectedbygrazing,butungulatesareonlyoneof theneedformoreresearchontherelationshipof
workedorwhattheytypicallylookedlikebecauseby manycontributingfactors,theprimaryinfluence willowsandaspentootherplantsandanimalsonthe
thatlimetheywerealreadygoneintheUnited overthelongtermisclimate. range.
States,oftenreplacedbydomesticlivestockopera-
tionswhichhaveentirelydifferentgoalsandeffects WhatAboutWillowsandAspen? WhatMakestheRiversMuddy?
onthelandscape Butwildlifearenotlivestock,
whichmoveprimarilywhenandwherehumans Researchhasshownthatabout oftheelk's Anincreaseinelknumbershasalsobeen
movethem Wildungulateshaveevolvedwiththeir winterdietcomesfromgrassesandforbs.therest blamedtorerosionandheavysedimentationin
range,whichhasadaptedtosurvivetheirgrazing fromwoodyvegetation Althoughsomeobservers NorthernRangenvers Todetermineiftherewas
Consequently,awildlandrangedoeslook haveattributedadeclineinwillowsandaspenonthe anyscientificbasisforthis,ateamofresearchers
differentfromacommercialrange;itsappearance NorthernRangetooverbrowsingbyelk.other IromgovernmentagenciesandTroutUnlimited
dependsentirelyonenvironmentalfactors,insteadof factorsmaybeinvolved Wherewillowsgrowin mappederosivelandsintheYellowstoneRiver
onclosesupervisionbysomeonewhoseprimary Yellowstoneisalmostentirelydeterminedbyaltitude drainagefromtheparktoLivingston.Montanafrom
goalis(omaintainthehighestsustainablelevelof andprecipitation 99'/tofthepark'swillowcommu- 1985to1987 Theyfoundthatmostofthesediment
livestockproduction Whatawildlandecologist nitiesarefoundinareasthaiareabove7.000feet thatmuddiesparknverscomesfromfoursteepand
wouldconsidernormalgrazingeffects,alivestock and/orreceivemorethan20inchesofannual geologicallyunstableareassuchastheClrand
managermightconsiderunacceptable Kirexample, precipitation,whichexcludesmostoftheNorthern CanyonoftheYellowstoneRiverandthehigher
ranchersviewevidenceoferosionwithalarm Range Althougholdphotosshowthatsome elevationsoftheLamarRiverwatershed Innoneof
becausesoilisaneconomicasset Butinawildland NorthernRangelocationshadmuchtallerwillowsin theseplacesareungulatessignificantsoilmovers.
aasrepaoswshiebrleenwaittuhroaultphruocmeasnseisntaerrefteorefnucnectoiroencaosnommuicch tthheel1a8s9t0csentthuarnythhaesybdeoennodwu.rimnogstdroofugthhetsdercaltihenretinhan ndoCfoanllseuqnugeunltalteys,,eivtesnnvitertshewoNourltdhestrinllRbaencgoemewere
considerations,erosionisaninherentpartofthe periodsoflargeelkpopulations Nosignificant muddy,especiallydunngspnngsnowmelland
landscape,whethercausedbythemovementof declineinNorthernRangewillowshasoccurred intensethunderstorms,andfollowingfireswhen
animalsorlong-termgeologicalforces. since(959despiteaquadruplingofelknumbers. '.egelationisreduced Theseprocessesarepartofthe
Insteadofassessingarangebasedonits Likewillows,aspenthrivemareasolthepark naturalfunctioningofawildlandecosystem.
appearance,scientificappraisalsofbothcommercial whattheclimateisbettersuitedtothem,including Sedimentsmnversthroughouttheparkare
andwildlandrangesdependonthemeasurementol ungulatesummerrangesandotherplacesthat >anhinthenormalrangeobservedinotherwestern
criteriasuchasplantproductivity InNorthern receivemorethan25inchesofprecipitationayear streams,andtheLamarValleyisstillconsidereda
Rangeresearch,theseevaluationshavebeendonehy A1995tree-ringstudyshowedthere'sbeenonlyone blue-nbbontroutfishery,companngfavorablywith
comparinggrazedareastoareasinsideplotsthat periodsincetheearly IKOOswhenNorthernRange thatofothersportfishenesthathavenowildlife
havebeenfencedtopreventgrazing aspenwereableloescapebrowsingandreachtree herdsgrazingnearby
Other Wildlife on the Range
ThequadruplingofthenorthernYellowstoneelk populationdoesappeartohavedecreasedsincethe
herdsincereductionsstoppedin1968hasledsome 1960sand.althoughcompetitiveexclusionbyelk
toquestionwhethertheincreaseinelkhascomeat cannotbeentirelvruledoutasatactor.thefiresof
theexpenseofcertainotheranimals Butcompell- 1988andhuntingoutsidetheparkmayhavealso
ing factoliik-and,ona level"plajingfield playedjrok-
wherehumaninterventionU,,L'Snotgiveonespecies Pronghorn: Althoughonceabundantinthe
anadvantageoveranother,doesnotmeanthai grasslandsofgreaterYellowstone,pronghornwere
somethingiswrong Thepredominanceofelkis heavilyreducedbysettlementandhuntinginthe
largelyaresultofitsabilitytosurviveonagreater 19thcentury,andbecauseofovergrazingconcernsin
varietyofforagethanotherwildungulates But the20thcentury Theonlyresidentherdintheparkis
changingenvironmentalconditionsdictatethatall thatontheNorthernRange,whereneitheritsrapid
plantandanimalpopulationswillfluctuateovertime increaseinthe1980stoalmost600norUsmore
andvaryindifferentlocationsmthepark Therange recentdeclineto200in1996appearsrelatedtothe
expansionandmildwetclimatethatcontnbutedto sizeoftheelkpopulation
theelkincreaseduringmostotthe1980salso Beaver: Becausethebeaver'spreferredfoods,
lavoredmostotherungulatesontheNorthernRange especiallyaspen,havebeenonlymarginallypresent Predators: Elkprovidecrucialfoodformany
(andthroughoutthegrealerYellowstoneecosystem), intheareatorthousandsofyears,mostof predatorsandscavengers,includinggnzzlies.black
includingbison,pronghorn,bighornsheep,mule Yellowstoneisnotgoodbeaverhabitat. Intensive bears,wolves,baldeagles,cougars,foxes,ravens
deei andwhite-taileddeei Onl> moosedeclined beaverpoachinginthelate19thcenturymayhave andmanysmallbirds,mammals,andinsects. Each
duringthaiperiod contributedtoatemporaryspreadofaspen,which grizzlybearwithinthecalvingrangeotthenorthern
Moose: Unlikeelk,moosedependonwoody afterwildlifeprotectionimproved,per—mitteda elkherdmaykillanaverageof15elkcalvesayear.
nparianvegetationlormostottheirdiet,andsince temporarybeaverboombythe1920s atthesame Llkhullsareespeciallysusceptibletogn/zly
thevcansurviveinsnowthatismuchdeeper,they limetheelkpopulationwasgrowing Butoncethe predationduringthetallrut,andcoyotescantakeelk
lendlowinterathigherelevationsthanelk Their heaverhadusedupthisfoodsourceandbegangoing thatareinpoorconditionorwhosemovementsare
solitaryhabitsinforestedareasmakepopulation alterthewillows,thebeaverpopulationbeganto hamperedbysnow Moreresearchwillbeneededto
estimatesdifficult,buttherearethoughttoheseveral decline AlthoughtherearefewontheNorthern determinedtheimpactofthereintroducedwolf
hundredmooseontheNorthernRange The Range,beavercoloniespersistelsewhereinthepark packs,whichsubsistpnmanlyonelk.
WhytheBuffalo Can7Roam How
Does Natural
Regulation Work?
Thenaturalregulationofwildlifemayinvolvebothananimal'sinternal
physiologyanditsexternalenvironment Tovaryingdegrees,wildlifepopula-
tionsexhibit"selfregulation.'*whichmeanstheirgrowthtendstoslowdown—as
thepopulationbecomesmoredenseandtoincreaseiftheirnumbersdecline a
biofeedbackresponse Forexample,asmoreelkinhabitthesamerange,the
cowscarrylessfaiandproducefewercalves,andthecalvesthatarebornweigh
lessandarethereforelesslikelytosurvive. AsthenorthernYellowstoneelk
populationhasgrown,researchershavedocumentedadeclineinpregnancyrates
andincreasesmthewintermortalityofcalves,yearlings,andolderbulls
Environmentalfactorssuchasclimateandprcdationalsoplayalargerolein
controllingananimalpopulation Duringapredationstudydonefrom1987to
1990.aboutonethirdoftheelkbornontheNorthernRangewerelostwithinone
monthtopredationbygrizzlybears,blackbears,coyotes,andgoldeneagles,and
anaverageof20%ofthepopulationdiedeachwinter,mostlyfromundernutn-
tioointheveryyoungandveryold
ButwhileapolicyofnaturalregulationmayworkforelkontheNorthern
Thepark'sbisonpopulationwasreducedtrom Range,it'snotappropriateinallwildlttemanagementsituations NationalPark
oavbeorugtra1z.i5n0g0ctOonlceessrntshainn4t0he01a9n5i0msalasnidn1r9e6s0pso,nsaendto cSeerrtvaiicnecpiorlciucmystaanndcefesde—ralfolregeixsalmatpiloen,wtiollrecsotnotrienuweoltvoerseqaunidrenaitnitveervfeinsht,iotnoin
thengrewtomorethan3,900bythemid-1990s As suppressexoticplantsandanimals,tofightfireinspecifiedsituations,andtocull
theyhavetorcenturies,Yellowstonebisonsurvived bison Huntingonpubliclandsadjacenttotheparkcanalsoheusedtocomple-
thewinterbymigratingtogeothermulareasand mentnaturalregulation Thechallengeistopaycarefulattentiontotheconse-
lowerelevationrangesbothinandoutsidethepark quencesofecosystemprocesseswhileresistingthetemptationtostepinto"fixa
Althoughsomepeoplesawthenumberofbison problem"thatmaybemorecomplexorofadifferenttypethanfirstappears.
outsidetheparkinthelate1980sandearly1990sas
evidenceotfoodshortagescausedbyovergrazing,
researchhasshownthaitheincreasedmigrationis
largelyaresultofthebisontakingadvantageot IfYou'd LiketoComment
trailsnow groomedfoisnowmobileuse orObtain More Information
Butbecausesomecarrybrucellosis,abacterial
diseasethatalsoinfectsdomesticlivestock,for
about30yearsbisonenteringMontanafromthe ThechangesthathavetakenplaceovertheyearsinhowYellowstonemanages
parkhavehadtobeshippedtoslaughterorshot, itswildlandshavereflectednotonlyanincreasedunderstandingottheecological
evenifonpublicly-ownedlandsuchasnational processesinvolved,butalsotheongoingpublicdebate NationalParkService
forests. Unfortunately,theunprecedentedsnowand policyworksbestwhenithasthesupportofcitizenswhounderstandtheirstakein
iceofthewinterof1997droveanunusuallylarge preservingthesenaturalresources. Ifyouwouldliketoexpressyouropinionon
numberofbisonDOleavethepark,andmorethan howtheNorthernRangeshouldbemanaged,pleasesendyourcommentsto:
1,100werekilledmMontanabystateandfederal
officers. NorthernRangeComments
Atpresent,apublicdesiretohavebisoninthe YellowstoneCenterforResources
Yellowstonearea,especiallyonpubliclands P.O.Box168
tihnetehnydpeodthfeotriwcialldlriisfkeocfonbsiesrovnatiinofne,ctiisngpictattetdleagwaiitnhst YellowstWoYneN8a2t1i9o0nalPark.
brucellosis TheNPSandotherDepartmentofthe
Intenoragenciesarecommittedtocarryingout Youcanalsowntethisaddresstorequestasummaryoftheresearchoracopyof
researchthathasbeentundedtoincreaseour theresearchreport,Yellowstone'sNorthernRange:ComplexityandChangeina
knowledgeaboutthebrucellaorganisminwildlife WildlandEcosystem (151pages).
anditspossiblethreattolivestock,butwild
brucellosiscannotbeeliminatedunlessaneffective
bisonvaccineisdeveloped.
What Lies Ahead for the Northern Range?
"The most important message
Muchhasbeenlearnedinthelast30years andthepublichavesupportedtheadditionof
aboutnaturalregulationandaboutthelimitations rangelandsoutsideYellowstonetoimprovethe from this study [which com-
suchapolicyfacesinanecosystemthatissubject integntyofmigratingelkandotherwildlife These pares sites overtime using
ninotploancleystionctheetsheamgelacniaetrusrarletfroeracteesdtmhoatrehatvheanbeen ahcaqvueirheedlpreadngreesltaonrdesmaingdractoonrsyerpvaatttieornnseaansdemweinnttser photos dating backtothe
12.000yearsago.buttothemorerecentjurisdic- rangeformorethan5.000elknorthofthepark. This 1880s] isthattheYellowstone
tiinocnrebaysimnuglltyipilnetegnsoeveursnembeyntpnavgaetnccileasnadnodwnteors ohtahseprrwoivledlnifteo,baenedcpolroogviicdaeldlynubemneerfoicuisalputboleilckand landscape is above all else
Afterdecadesoffutileattemptstoimproveupon benefits. Asfuturedecisionsaremadeabouttheuse magnificently dynamic -there
nature,theNationalParkServicebelieves(hatit's ofpubliclandoutsideoftheparkandaboutopportu- is no"correct"or"pristine"
eicnoYleolgliocwasltopnreo'csesbseesstdientteerremsitnteotlheettfahteeroalngiets'splant cniotniseisdteorawchqautirpenmoonrteyliatnwdi,sthheesptuoblgiicvewitlolwnieldeldifteo fixed state to which the Park
andanimalcommunities,insofarasthisispossible habitat ecosystem should be held,
contrTahriy,saissnoonleaof"htahnedfseowffs'ucahpperxopaacnhs.esOnremthaein- regulUalttiiomnatieslnyg,h(thefoqrutehsetiNoonrotfhewrhnetRhaenrgenaitsuraaslmuch even ifthiswere possible... In
ingwithallofitsoriginalcomponentparts, philosophicalasscientific InYellowstone,asin this sense the past serves as
Yellowstone'sNorthernRangeprovidesoneolthe manynationalparks,decisionsmustoftenbemade only a limited guide tothe
wthoerlcdo'msplmeoxsitticehsalolfenlgainndgsclaapbeoreactoolnoegsyfoDresstpuidtyeinthge weffitehctonolnylaanpdasrthiaelldunidnetrrsutstanfdoirnfgutoufrethgeeirneproastsiiobnlse. future because the intensity
tremendousprogressthathasbeenmadein Becausecarefulscientistsdon'tpresumetohaveall and frequency ofthe pro-
understandinghowitfunctionsasanecosystem, theanswers,thedebateoverwhetherandhowto cesses driving ecosystem
theNorthernRangehasmuchmoretoteachus interveneontheNorthernRangewillcontinuetobe
abouttheprocessesthatshapewildlandsandnative fueledbypoliticalprocessesandpublicpressure. dynamicschange."
grazingsystems TheNationalParkService's ButitisthehopeandintenloltheNationalPark -From YellowstoneandtheBiologyof
primarygoalwillthereforecontinuetobeto Servicethatanyresultingdecisionswillbesteeredby Time(inpress),byMaryMeagherand
preserveitscomponentsandpreventunnecessary thebestavailablescientificinformation,andthatthis DouglasHouston
interferencewithitsnaturalprocesses. informationwillbesharedwithallthoseinterestedin
Throughoutthiscentury,theU.S.Congress participatinginthediscussion.
un