Wyldlife for Tomorrow Archives - Page 2 of 2

From Concept to Capitol in a Year!

8.1 MILLION people can’t be wrong! Yes, that’s right…MILLION, and what are they not wrong about? How wonderful it is to visit Wyoming. To put it into perspective, sixteen times our actual population traveled to make a memory here last year. Wildlife viewing was at the top of their list of activities.

In 2022, it seems that we are united in the need to reconnect to nature by making pilgrimages to incredible vistas, seeing magnificent wildlife, and pursuing other recreational opportunities, and in that respect Wyoming has it all. This is why those more than eight million visitors wend their way from nearby states or from across the globe to spend 4 BILLION DOLLARS*, which helps to employ 30.4K workers* and generates $243 million in tax receipts.*

Wildlife viewing in Grand Teton National Park. Photo courtesy of Taylor Glenn.

While that is pretty impressive, there is a conundrum: wildlife-watching opportunities are at the very top of the list of what visitors want, and even though all those taxes make their way to and through towns and counties to our capitol in Cheyenne, none of it goes directly to wildlife or habitat. That is because the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD), which is responsible for wildlife, is not funded through state general funds, meaning their revenue comes only from hunting licenses, federal excise taxes, and some grants.

But, remember those 8.1 million people, most of whom come to look for wildlife?

Well, Taylor Phillips, whose primary business is providing wildlife-viewing guided excursions in Wyoming through his business EcoTour Adventures, came up with a way for the revenue generated by Wyoming visitors to give back. That is how Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow was born.

Just as springtime brings new life to the environment, it has become the season of milestones in the progress of Taylor’s initiative. March of 2020 saw the department’s supporting organization, The Wyldlife Fund, led by Chris McBarnes, launched into the stormy seas of COVID. The following spring of 2021, Chris McBarnes, Chris Colligan of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and Taylor ventured out on the ice of Jackson Lake for a social, if somewhat soggy fishing trip, for beers and ideas and strategizing to develop Taylor’s dream to capture conservation funding from the existing tourism economy.

This spring more than 60 businesses—businesses that not only depend on wildlife-seeking visitors, but also benefit economically from their presence— have already enrolled to give back. Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow, as a flagship initiative of The Wyldlife Fund, has given over $100,000 to date, to important projects such as wildlife crossings, wildlife-friendly fencing, elk collaring research, and improving aquatic and terrestrial habitat.

These encouraging results, together with the dedication, enthusiasm, and tenacity of Taylor, as well as the hard work and support of Wyldlife Fund President Chris McBarnes, led WGFD Director Brian Nesvik to arrange a meeting with Governor Gordon and his Policy Director, Renny McKay at the Capitol in Cheyenne on March 21st. Taylor, Chris, and Board Secretary Penny Maldonado were honored to share the progress being made by The Wyldlife Fund and Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow. Wyoming has always been a leader and as Renny explained, while hunting remains incredibly popular in Wyoming, even as some other states are experiencing declining participation, the prospect of opening up an alternative funding stream from tourism revenue in addition to traditional sources would enhance conservation through on the ground projects.

Left to right: Brian Nesvik, Director of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department; Governor Gordon; Taylor Phillips, Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow founder; Chris McBarnes, President of The WYldlife Fund; & Penny Maldonado, member of the Board of Directors for The WYldlife Fund.

The meeting was a fantastic opportunity to embrace the mutual love of wildlife, wildlands, and, of course, Wyoming, and the desire to find ways for more people to be able to contribute to critical conservation needs. The group left with confidence going forward because of Director Nesvik’s resounding endorsement of Taylor and Chris’s efforts, and with the warm and attentive reception by Governor Gordon and Renny. The Wyldlife Fund and Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow are grateful for the time spent at the Capitol and look forward to more exciting milestones as the opportunity to invest in conservation funding expands.

*2021 year in review WOT

Written by Penny Maldonado, Board Member of The WYldlife Fund

Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow announces two additional grants

Last week, Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow (WTFT) enthusiastically presented two separate checks to advance wildlife conservation projects in the state of Wyoming. WTFT founder Taylor Phillips, and The WYldlife Fund President Chris McBarnes, traveled to Cody, WY to attend the Wyoming Game & Fish Commission meeting, where they presented the checks.

Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow is currently engaging the tourism industry across the state to contribute to wildlife conservation projects, further developing this important constituency.

The first check, for $15,000, was given to the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) to fund their sage-grouse fence inventory project. This project aims to prevent future losses of the declining Greater Sage-Grouse population by inventorying and removing unused or problem fences within the species’ migratory habitat. Livestock fence wires can be a significant cause of sage-grouse mortality due to birds hitting the wires while in flight, and the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, along with collaborators from Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest, plans to reduce these mortalities through project efforts.

From left to right: Chris McBarnes, President of The WYldlife Fund; Taylor Phillips, Founder of Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow; Renee Seidler, Executive Director of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation; Kate Gersh, Associate Director of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation; Brian Nesvik, Director of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department; Gay Lynn Byrd, Commissioner of the Wyoming Game & Fish Deparment; Doug Brimeyer, Deputy Division Chief of Wildlife of the Wyoming Game & Fish Deparment; Kenneth Roberts, Commissioner of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.

“The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is thrilled to receive support from WTFT,” said Kate Gersh, Associate Director of JHWF. “We think it’s fantastic that WTFT represents partnership with the private business sector, which is providing generous philanthropy for the benefit of wildlife conservation in Wyoming. Recent funding from WTFT will be spent on completing a fence inventory and mapping layer in sage-grouse habitat found within Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The result of this effort will parlay into fence removal or modifications involving JHWF volunteers, to improve sage-grouse habitat in Jackson Hole. Thank you WTFT and all your funders, we are grateful!”

The second check, for $20,000, was presented to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department (WGFD) for their elk collaring project. This project aims to better understand the migration patterns of the Jackson elk herd, one of the largest elk herds in North America. The population numbers approximately 11,000 animals, and the herd migrates over an expansive area, making management and conservation challenging. By radio-collaring individuals in the herd, the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, along with numerous other collaborators, will better understand the migration patterns of the Jackson elk herd, and then use this information to develop management practices.

From left to right: Chris McBarnes; Doug Brimeyer; Rick King, Chief of Wildlife of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department; Taylor Phillips; Brian Nesvik; and Gay Lynn Byrd.

“It can be especially difficult to fund long-term projects such as monitoring the changing movements and distribution of the Jackson Elk Herd,” said Alyson Courtemanch, Wildlife Biologist with WGFD. “Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow is helping fill a critical need for funding to help us continue to make the best management and conservation decisions we can for elk, which is perhaps the most iconic wildlife species in Jackson Hole.”

WTFT is thrilled to present these checks to further wildlife conservation within the state. The amount of success and support we have seen in our first year has been staggering, and we are excited to keep this momentum going and continue to make a difference in the conservation of Wyoming’s incredible wildlife.

Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow is a flagship initiative of The WYldlife Fund, a partner nonprofit to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department that administers funds to advance wildlife projects across the state.

Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow introduced to Wyoming State Legislators

Presenting our initiative to our state lawmakers were Brian Nesvik, Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Diane Shober, Executive Director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism, Chris McBarnes, President of The WYldlife Fund, and Taylor Phillips, Founder of Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow. We had participation from both senators and representatives, as well as our non-profit friends, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, the Wyoming Wildlife Federation, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Left to Right: Taylor Phillips, Founder of Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow, Brian Nesvik, Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Diane Shober, Executive Director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism, Janet Marschner, Board Director of The WYldlife Fund, and Chris McBarnes, President of The WYldlife Fund.

The goal of our luncheon was to get our governing body on board with the work we are doing. It was a huge success, and we have interest within the Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, & Cultural Resources Committee, who will be discussing our initiative at their next committee meeting.

We also had the pleasure of meeting with former Governor Dave Freudenthal at his home in Cheyenne, where we discussed our mission and the next steps to advance our movement. We are thrilled to share that our former Governor is on board with this work and will be assisting in providing strategic direction.

Taylor Phillips (left) and Chris McBarnes (right) with former Governor Dave Freudenthal at his home in Cheyenne, WY.

Finally, we attended this year’s Hospitality & Tourism Conference, where we had positive conversations with the Travel and Tourism Boards, Chamber of Commerce leaders, and government officials across the state. We also had a chance to present our mission at the Board of Directors Meeting for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. We are pleased to share that our initiative was well-received, and that the Office of Tourism is on board with our work.

Not only was our time in Cheyenne a huge success, but we have had success across the board in the past five months. In this time, over 50 businesses have invested in our work, and WTFT has generated over $100K in donations. We have a bright future ahead of us and we can’t wait to keep working towards changing the conservation funding model, business by business!

We are excited to keep our momentum strong, and we aim to expand our movement beyond Jackson. This month, we will represent WTFT at meetings in Park County, and we already have representation in Pinedale and Cody. Next, we aim to work with our regional NGOs as well as undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Wyoming (UW) to help advance this work. We also plan to team up with UW to implement a live-streaming project to assist in soliciting donations for WTFT. Lastly, we plan to hire and train a part-time position via The WYldlife Fund to further advance our movement.

All of this important work would not be possible without the support of The WYldlife Fund, under whom the Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow initiative was born. We are excited for what comes next, and we hope you will be a part of this exciting new movement. If you would like more information about our future and how you can participate, please reach out.

Wildlife Tourism For Tomorrow announces $20,000 grant

RIVERTON, Wyoming — The first grant from a new initiative created to support wildlife projects in the state was presented on November 16, 2021 during the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission meeting. Taylor Phillips handed a check for $20,000 to Alan Osterland, Chief of Fisheries for Wyoming Game and Fish, Cory Toye, the Wyoming Water and Habitat Program Director for Trout Unlimited, and Ken Roberts, Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioner District 3.

The money will be granted to Trout Unlimited to support a large-scale collaborative project to prevent future losses of native migratory cutthroat trout and other native fish by installing a fish screen on the Spread Creek irrigation system near Jackson, Wyoming. The work will also stabilize the diversion structure and river channel in the project area which had been damaged by flooding.

“We are thrilled to present the first grant from Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow to this important fish passage project which will help native population of Snake River cutthroat trout,” said Taylor Phillips, founder of Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow, owner of Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures and a board member for The WYldlife Fund. “We are incredibly grateful for the businesses and individuals who have supported Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow in these early days of the program. We see great opportunity to further engage the billion-dollar tourism industry and, in turn, get more done for Wyoming’s wildlife.”

Wildlife Tourism For Tomorrow is an initiative underneath the umbrella of The WYldlife Fund, a partner nonprofit to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department focused on directing money to advance wildlife projects across the state.

“Bettering connectivity and quality aquatic habitat for Snake River cutthroat trout is important for Wyoming’s healthy native fish populations,” said Wyoming Game and Fish Department director Brian Nesvik. “In supporting businesses who are part of Wildlife Tourism For Tomorrow, you are contributing to the conservation of wildlife, and making a difference.”

Trout Unlimited uses funds from many sources to complete projects. The $20,000 contribution raised by Wildlife Tourism For Tomorrow helps make possible the current work on Phase 2 of the Spread Creek Fish Passage Project. Partners on the project include Grand Teton National Park, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Trout Unlimited. Altogether, there are more than 20 partners involved in the multi-year project.

“We are honored that the Spread Creek Fish Passage Project will be the first project to be funded by Wildlife Tourism For Tomorrow. Wildlife tourism and the fishing industry are vital components of the local tourism economy in the Jackson area, and while this project primarily benefits Snake River cutthroat trout and other native fish, healthy watersheds and riparian areas also benefit wildlife species,” said Leslie Steen, Northwest Wyoming Program Manager for Trout Unlimited. “Many times, when I have gone out to visit the Spread Creek project site, I’ve seen wildlife tour trips in the area, and it is really neat to think that those same businesses are now giving back to native fish. We are grateful to all the businesses and individuals that generously made contributions to support this collaborative, multi-agency project, and to Taylor Phillips and The WYldlife Fund for their leadership in this effort.”

Courtesy of JHWF

Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation Trail Cameras

Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow in Wyoming Wildlife Magazine

Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow is featured in a July 2021 Wyoming Wildlife Magazine article titled “Giving Back: A new initiative gives businesses benefiting from wildlife tourism a way to donate for conservation efforts” Read the article below.

Wildlife Tourism For Tomorrow Initiative Launches to Support Conservation

Along with our partners The WYldlife Fund, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, and the Cougar Fund, Ecotour Adventures is proud to announce the launch of Wildlife Tourism for Tomorrow, an initiative that inspires the businesses and individuals who depend upon Wyoming’s Wildlife to give back.

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