New Study Shows Outdoor Recreation and Wildlife Can Coexist in Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—With the Right Management

A new multi-year study from researchers working in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem found that many wildlife species can coexist alongside outdoor recreation, and targeted management is essential to maintaining that balance as recreation continues to grow.

Outdoor recreation is rapidly expanding across Wyoming, especially near the Jackson area, and this expansion is raising concerns about how increased human presence may affect wildlife. To better understand these dynamics, researchers monitored medium to large mammal activity and human use along nonmotorized multi-use trails over a 2.5-year period. The team deployed 27 remote cameras in a heavily visited portion of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to track patterns of wildlife presence, recreation type and timing.

The Neighbors to Nature study, recently published in Conservation Science and Practice, revealed that local habitat areas with intense recreational use still contain a diverse mammal community, and many species showed little evidence of negative response to current recreation levels. As far as species that did have a response, elk appear to be particularly sensitive, showing both temporal and spatial avoidance of recreation, and moose also exhibited temporal avoidance of recreationists. Foot traffic—including hiking, skiing and snowshoeing—had the strongest negative effects on wildlife presence.

“These findings highlight both the resilience of many wildlife species and the reality that people have long been—and will continue to be—a part of their habitat,” says Courtney Larson, conservation scientist for the Wyoming Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and lead author of the study. “When we better understand how wildlife responds to people on the trails or in the outdoors, we can make more informed management decisions that support both healthy ecosystems and meaningful outdoor experiences.”

“Living in a community that values both recreation and wildlife requires a commitment to co-existence,” said Linda Merigliano, a retired forest recreation specialist for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. “This study brought together non-profit wildlife and recreation organizations, citizen scientists and land managers to better understand how wildlife uses the Greater Snow King area and sets a solid baseline for monitoring, management and continued learning to ensure what we love about the land endures.”

“One exciting finding was how each species responded differently to recreation,” said Trevor Bloom, botanist for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. “Some animals avoided people in space or time, while others, like black bears, overlapped with human activity more than expected. Recreation and wildlife can coexist, but increased use does impact animals, so both must be considered in future land management.”

“This research shows coexistence is possible, but not accidental,” says Kate Gersh, associate director for the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation. “It takes ongoing stewardship, informed recreation and a community committed to protecting wildlife.”

Overall, the study reflects positively on the potential for outdoor recreation and mammal species to coexist in the study area; however, it emphasizes that seasonal trail closures, visitor education and continued monitoring will be critical tools for land managers seeking to balance public access with wildlife conservation. The study provides further evidence that recreationists should be prepared for potential wildlife encounters while out recreating, since large animals including black bears, mountain lions and moose were observed even on high-use trails.

This research was conducted in partnership with Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, Bridger Teton National Forest, Friends of Pathways and The Nature Conservancy. There are public presentations currently being planned for local communities to learn more about the study and what it implies for management. These dates will be released when available. Reporters interested in covering those events should coordinate with media contacts listed above.

To read the full study, visit https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/csp2.70263.

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Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation advances wildlife conservation driven by science, collaboration and a community of volunteers.

Friends of Pathways champions a safe, connected system of pathways, trails, bike lanes and sidewalks that encourage active transportation and healthy recreation in our Jackson Hole community.

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