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Conservation Partners Launch Yellowstone Ecosystem Virtual Fence Collaborative

[…] one of the most promising innovations in modern land stewardship. The Ricketts Conservation Foundation (RCF) and the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) today announced the $600,000 Yellowstone Ecosystem Virtual Fence Collaborative, a bold effort to deploy GPS-collar livestock management technology across working ranches throughout the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Virtual fencing is an emerging technology […]

Published on: April 22, 2026

Virtual Fencing for Conservation

[…] Applied Ecology, 58(4), pp.690-698. which carries an energy cost. Migratory deer like these, along with elk and pronghorn, are a part of the lifeblood of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a central link in the long food chain that depends on this seasonal “pulse” of moving animals. But Yellowstone’s migratory heartbeat is faltering: Wide-ranging wildlife […]

Published on: February 19, 2026

Keeping Working Lands—and Wildlife—Moving in Paradise Valley

A fence is replaced on the Durgan Ranch in Paradise Valley with support from PERC’s Fence Fund When elk stream out of Yellowstone National Park during their annual migration, they don’t stop at the park boundary. They move through Paradise Valley—one of the most important migration corridors in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—crossing working ranchlands […]

Published on: February 17, 2026

A Better Way To Fund National Parks—Paid For By Their Most Eager Visitors

[…] at Zion and heard the hum of different languages, you’ve seen firsthand how much international visitors love America’s parks. They make up about 15 percent of annual visits to Yellowstone and up to 40 percent of visits to the Grand Canyon. According to my organization’s economic analysis, a $100 non-resident surcharge at Yellowstone could approximately quadruple entry-fee revenue at the […]

Published on: January 21, 2026

Visitor Surcharge Is Good For Grand Canyon 

[…] thousands of jobs across northern Arizona. A 2025 study from the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) modeled the economic impact of an international visitor surcharge at Yellowstone National Park. It provides a clear benchmark for what the Grand Canyon can expect. Like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone is a world-famous destination with significant international […]

Published on: January 15, 2026

Outlaw Partners Announces 2026 Wildlands music lineup

[…] music events in the country, pairing world-class artists in an unique outdoor venue limited to 5,000 attendees, while raising funds for conservation groups devoted to preserving the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Carrie Underwood, one of the most successful artists in modern country music, will headline the weekend on Saturday, Aug. 1. Launching her career after competing […]

Published on: January 15, 2026

The Case for Conservation Abundance

[…] regulatory tools as well as a massive loss of habitat to infrastructure. The risk is real. In the United States alone, over 30 million acres—more than 10 Yellowstone National Park’s worth—of natural areas and farmland could be converted into housing by 2040. The U.S. is expected to add 250,000 to 500,000 acres of new […]

Published on: December 9, 2025

Past Is Prologue in Wyoming and Beyond

[…] I find myself looking to the past—especially the role my state, Wyoming, has had in building a solid foundation. The history of the world’s first national park, Yellowstone, is well known, as is the kind of public-private partnership pioneered by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in the creation of Grand Teton National Park. Between those […]

Published on: December 9, 2025