Expectations in Yellowstone - Yellowstone Forever (2024)

Code of Ethics

The Yellowstone Forever Institute is committed to demonstrating a high standard of appropriate and ethical behavior in Yellowstone. As a participant in an Institute program, we ask that you adhere to the following Code of Ethics.

In addition to the ethics highlighted below, we abide by all National Park Service (NPS) rules and regulations. We also practice Leave No Trace guidelines for traveling responsibly in the wilderness.

Observing Wildlife

We will do our best to have as little impact on wildlife as possible. Animals will be observed from a distance, using high powered spotting scopes to help keep our presence from affecting their behavior. Participants should not expect to get close-up photographs of wildlife.

We will adhere to NPS regulations by keeping a minimum distance of 25 yards from bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, coyotes, nesting birds, and 100 yards from bears and wolves. We will not entice wildlife with food, animal calls, or any actions that change their behavior.

Leave What You Find

It is illegal to remove natural or cultural artifacts (plants, animals, bones, rocks, etc.) from the park. Institute instructors have permission from NPS to manipulate plants, rocks, bones, etc. for educational purposes, and will return them to their natural positions and locations.

General Etiquette

Yellowstone Forever Institute groups will be considerate of other visitors and respect the quality of their experience. Voices and vehicle sounds carry great distances and affect both wildlife and people.

Remaining silent or very quiet while watching wildlife lets the sounds of Yellowstone (including wolf howls) prevail.

Roads and Vehicles

Expect wildlife on the road, and drive at or below the posted park speed limits. When stopping to observe wildlife or other park features, we will move vehicles entirely off the road. If there is no safe pullout available, we will drive to the next safe place and walk back to observe the wildlife.

We will not stop in the middle of the road, and should a traffic jam develop as a result of our activities, we will cease the activity.

Properly Dispose of Waste

We will pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter. Your instructor will discuss techniques for properly disposing of human waste in the field.

Traveling Lightly

When hiking or walking in Yellowstone, we will use existing trails and boardwalks, and follow appropriate techniques when walking off-trail. Walking around muddy or wet places in the trail increases erosion and negatively affects the resource; proper equipment is essential to hiking ethically.

Participants should come adequately prepared with the equipment listed for their program and should expect to walk through mud, snow, or puddles in the trail.

Practice Sustainable Methods

We will reduce waste by minimizing paper and other disposable products used during programs. Recycling will be practiced in vehicles and at Yellowstone Forever facilities.

Effects of climate change, especially those evident in Yellowstone, will be highlighted by instructors, as well as the efforts of Yellowstone National Park and its partners to mitigate these effects.

Thank you for helping us set a good example in Yellowstone!

Leave no trace

Leave No Trace is a national education program designed to encourage minimum impact skills and ethics among outdoor users. The Yellowstone Forever Institute endorses this program and includes the Leave No Trace curriculum in our classes.

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Expectations in Yellowstone - Yellowstone Forever (2024)

FAQs

What is the mission statement of Yellowstone forever? ›

Our mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy. Yellowstone Forever builds upon the nearly 100-year legacy that began in 1933 with the Yellowstone Library and Museum Association. We connect people to the park through outstanding educational programs.

How is life impacted in Yellowstone? ›

The Role of Humans in Yellowstone

The presence of humans in the park has caused many animals to become vulnerable to disease. Human interaction with the ecosystem has rapidly spread disease to Yellowstone's wildlife, which has proven to have adverse effects on populations.

What density independent and dependent factors would impact the organisms in the Yellowstone park? ›

Density-idependent limiting factors affect a population's size and growth independent of population density. In Yellowstone, weather can influence wildlife populations. Temperature and moisture can cause populations to increase or decrease. Forest fires and drought typically cause population decrease.

Is Yellowstone done forever? ›

Not until early May would the network announce that Yellowstone was going back into production, but that the remaining episodes, which would then launch in November 2023, marking an abrupt ending to the beloved neo-Western saga and flagship series.

What is the Big Five in Yellowstone? ›

Yellowstone has its own Big Five: the gray wolf, bison, bear, elk, and moose. Spotting wildlife in Yellowstone will depend on what time of year you visit the park.

What are 3 facts about Yellowstone? ›

The park is contained in three states: 96% in Wyoming, 3% in Montana, and 1% in Idaho. The highest point in the park is 11,358' at Eagle Peak, and the lowest point in the park is 5,282' at Reese Creek. There are more than 10,000 hydrothermal features. Yellowstone has 1000 to 3000 earthquakes annually.

What challenges does Yellowstone face? ›

The report of Yellowstone National Park addresses the following threats: (i) mining activities outside the Park; (b) brucellosis infection of the bison population; (c) lake trout invasion; (d) impacts on water quality; (e) road construction; and (f) regulation of visitor use of the site.

How hot is Yellowstone water? ›

At only 45 feet (14 m) inside Old Faithful's throat, the water temperature is 244°F (117°C). Prior to an eruption, the water at the geyser's vent is 204°F (96°C)—several degrees hotter than the area's normal surface boiling point of 199°F (93°C).

Do things like Yellowstone happen in real life? ›

Oregon rancher Penny Krebs said family issues and care of cattle are accurate elements of 'Yellowstone,' but there is no 'train station. '

What are the three relationships between organisms in Yellowstone? ›

Predator-prey interactions, competition, and symbiosis are all interactions between living organisms.

What are some living and nonliving parts of the environment in Yellowstone? ›

Abiotic components are the non-living things, like the amount of water, sunshine, or temperature in an ecosystem. Biotic components are living things, like plants and animals, that make each ecosystem unique. Biotic factors can be divided into two main categories, producers and consumers.

What are some biotic factors at Yellowstone? ›

Wolves, deer, and trees are all biotic factors and connect together into a food web. Soil, rocks, and rivers are all abiotic factors that are influenced by the activity of the food web.

What is the motto of Yellowstone National Park? ›

The plaque on the Arch is inscribed with a phrase from the 1872 legislation that established Yellowstone National Park: “For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People.”

Does Yellowstone have a slogan? ›

Disneyland may be the "happiest place on earth" but the motto "like no place on earth" undoubtedly belongs to Yellowstone National Park.

What is Yellowstone about in a nutshell? ›

Yellowstone follows "the Dutton family, led by John Dutton, who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. The ranch is under constant attack by those it borders—land developers, an Indian reservation, and United States of America's first National Park.

Why does everyone love Yellowstone so much? ›

Yellowstone resonates with audiences because it tells working-class stories and highlights the struggles and values of everyday people living in rural areas, giving a voice to the often-overlooked demographic.

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