Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) Conservation Initiative

Hopeful news! 🦌 The expanded Klinse-za/Twin Sisters protected area, roughly a third the size of Banff National Park, will help provide the caribou in the Peace River region in Treaty 8 territory with the refuge they need to recover to self-sustaining levels. Thirty-six other threatened and endangered species, including a vulnerable population of grizzly bears, wolverine, bull trout, and fisher, will also benefit from the protections. The Indigenous-led work of the West Moberly First Nations and Saulteau First Nations to save the Klinse-za mountain caribou herd is a model for saving endangered species everywhere. The new protected area has emerged as another inspiring example of the power of co-operation, of Indigenous-led conservation, and land-based reconciliation.

The Y2Y team is pleased to welcome Dr. Graham McDowell as our new Director of Science and Knowledge.  Based in the Rocky Mountains of Canmore, Alberta, Graham will lead Y2Y’s work to bring Western scientific, local, and Indigenous knowledges together to help people and nature thrive across the 2,100-mile (3,400-km) long Yellowstone to Yukon region. Welcome, Graham! https://lnkd.in/dhQ94zHK

Job alert! Y2Y is seeking a Financial Controller. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Financial Controller is responsible for all aspects of financial management of the organization, as well as government compliance in both Canada and the United States. Read more on the details of this role at y2y.net/careers.

Job alert! Y2Y is seeking a Communities and Conservation Manager. The Communities and Conservation Manager's primary focus is on human-wildlife coexistence and promoting well-planned and managed outdoor recreation. The Manager will focus on a variety of aspects of this work, including implementing recommendations from the field of recreation ecology, advancing better practices in recreation monitoring, planning, and management, and advocating for enduring human-wildlife coexistence efforts at multiple scales. The position offers flexible location within the Y2Y landscape, within easy access of an airport, including the option of working in Y2Y’s office in Canmore, Alberta. Read more on the details of this role at y2y.net/careers.

📢 Do you cherish provincial parks in Alberta? Your voice is needed by August 18! In 2020, when the Alberta government released plans to close or delist 175 parks, people like you were clear that the answer is not fewer parks and recreation areas, but more. This remains true today. Alberta is once again making plans for parks and is asking for public input through their "Plan for Parks" survey. This is your chance to share your hopes for a bigger, stronger network of protected areas and a sustainable future for provincial parks. 🔗 Your input is crucial! Complete the survey by August 18: https://lnkd.in/gpXAAr5W Alberta’s parks are not just recreational spaces; they are vital for biodiversity, connecting wildlife populations, and preserving water sources. Parks also offer enormous economic and cultural benefits. At the same time, asking our existing parks to do more without adding more to the network will compromise their value to nature and to all of us. Need guidance? Our partners at @cpawssab and @cpawsnab have prepared a handy survey guide to help you express your thoughts effectively: https://lnkd.in/g5bRJMG9

Great news! The Bow Valley: one of the four most important east-west wildlife connectors in the #Y2YRegion and one of two such valleys in Alberta. Safe crossings for wildlife help them survive, especially with more people around, says Y2Y's Tim Johnson.

Live in and around British Columbia's Elk Valley? Need help keeping your yard, chickens, bees, or fruit trees safe from bears? We're part of a new cost-share program with free expert advice to help reduce bears' access to human attractants and keep communities safer.

Conservationist, friend to, and former executive director of Y2Y, Karsten Heuer, recently shared heartfelt reflections on his decades-long work to connect and protect the large, intact landscapes that wildlife needs to survive and thrive. As an early advocate of “large-landscape” conservation, Karsten spent months trekking in the Yellowstone to Yukon corridor to bring awareness to the importance of conserving this region. And that he has. Recently, Karsten was diagnosed with a fast-acting and fatal neurological condition called multiple system atrophy. Today he continues to share his story — from tracking caribou on foot, walking thousands of miles across the Rockies, and bringing bison back to Banff National Park. We’re honored to share pieces of Karsten's story, and encourage you to read the full article, beautifully written by journalist Drew Anderson.

On July 23, catch Y2Y on this webinar about #RecEcology alongside some great speakers! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gsSQuDpC

Curious to see all the steps that go into making a wildlife crossing? Take a peek with this photo timeline of the progress of the new wildlife overpass west of Calgary near Canmore over the Trans-Canada Highway. It's not quite finished, but wildlife are already using it.