Yellowstone receives record $105 million donation for long-term stewardship

YELLOWSTONE (KIFI) — Yellowstone National Park has received the largest single private donation in National Park Service history, a $105 million investment dedicated to the park's long-term stewardship goals.

On Monday, NPS, alongside its official philanthropic partner Yellowstone Forever and Blackstone Infrastructure portfolio company Tallgrass, announced the creation of the Conservation and Stewardship Fund.

“This is a transformational investment in Yellowstone National Park," Lisa Diekmann, President & CEO of Yellowstone Forever, said in a Local News 8 conversation. "It gives us the ability to meet urgent needs today while building enduring support for the research, education, stewardship, and visitor infrastructure that will protect this park for generations to come.”

“More than 120 years ago, President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of Yellowstone’s iconic gateway, enshrining the promise that our National Parks exist for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “This historic $105 million investment honors that legacy, bringing together the best of American enterprise and conservation to expand access to Yellowstone and inspire the next generation to experience America’s great outdoors. We’re grateful to Blackstone, Tallgrass, and Yellowstone Forever for their partnership and extraordinary commitment.”

The historic contribution will fund three priorities essential to Yellowstone’s long-term stewardship:

• Conservation & Scientific Research
• Visitor Experience & Infrastructure
• Expanding opportunities specifically for Wyoming students and community members to experience Yellowstone

As part of the package, the donation establishes the Tallgrass WYld Yellowstone Initiative, named after the energy operator with more than a decade of operations in the Cowboy State.

"Yellowstone is one of America's great natural treasures, and we feel a profound sense of responsibility to protect it for future generations,” said Sean Klimczak, Blackstone’s Global Head of Infrastructure. “This historic gift reflects our belief that infrastructure investment can and should be a force for good, helping us invest in Yellowstone's future and the growth of the communities that surround it."

Yellowstone Forever President and CEO Lisa Diekmann called the gift a "transformational investment."

It gives us the ability to meet urgent needs today while building enduring support for the research, education, stewardship and visitor infrastructure that will protect this park for generations to come," said Diekmann.

According to a news release announcing the gift, the National Park Service will retain full authority over park management decisions, and projects supported through the fund will be consistent with applicable laws, policies, and park priorities.