Yellowstone partners with Yellowstone Forever on new sustainability efforts

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (KIFI) – In celebration of Earth Day, Yellowstone Forever and Yellowstone National Park announced new sustainability efforts to meet the challenges of the future while setting the standard for resource conservation and stewardship worldwide.

These sustainability projects will support climate change mitigation efforts that conserve resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect Yellowstone’s resources for the benefit of this and future generations. 

Yellowstone Forever has committed to funding sustainability projects identified by Yellowstone National Park as those with opportunity to reduce impacts on the environment while improving wildlife habitat, enhancing visitor experiences, and improving employee living and working conditions. 

"Yellowstone Forever and their corporate partners have been incredible supporters of Yellowstone National Park, and we want to extend our gratitude for their partnership,” superintendent Cam Sholly said. "With their support, we look forward to continuing to make progress on a wide range of important Yellowstone sustainability goals." 

Just a few of the projects Yellowstone National Park plans to undertake with funding from Yellowstone Forever include:  

• Commission all buildings with automated systems and implement “smart building” controls and technology 
• Identify and mitigate water loss from old and inefficient infrastructure 
• Assess and install EV charging infrastructure to support electric fleet vehicles 
• Replace 26,000 light fixtures throughout the park with LEDs  

“As the world’s first national park, Yellowstone has been a leader in resource stewardship. As we look forward to the next 150 years of Yellowstone, we are committed to ensuring that Yellowstone remains protected for future generations,” Yellowstone Forever President & CEO Lisa Diekmann said. “We are excited to support the park’s sustainability efforts and thank those that have already contributed, including ConocoPhillips Inc., Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. and Toyota Motor North America, Inc.” 

A century and a half after Yellowstone was designated a national park, it remains a place where millions of visitors come to escape the speed of daily life to view geysers and other thermal features, as well as wildlife like bison, grizzly bears, and wolves. But it’s also a place that is seeing exponential increases in visitation and the very real effects of climate change. The future of Yellowstone depends on a collective commitment to sustainability.