[MCN] Collaboration and Litigation (Part 2)

[John Meyer]

Yesterday we broached the topic of collaboration being used and abused. 

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition is the conservation partner in the Gravelly Landscape Collaborative. 

The Gravelly Landscape Collaborative will not discuss domestic sheep grazing in the Gravelly Landscape, which is responsible for killing wildlife and precluding Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks from restoring bighorn sheep to Bighorn Mountain. The domestics carry disease that will quickly kill an entire herd of bighorn sheep. A BLM employee found one dead bighorn sheep on one of the domestic sheep allotments. 

The Greater Yellowstone Coalition supports the domestic sheep grazing. Several people have asked how the organization is adhering to its mission when it supports activities that kill wildlife and preclude restoration of other species. GYC has not answered. Other people have asked whether foundations and private donors know GYC is backing activities that kill wildlife.  

Uncomfortable Education

The spouse of a Forest Service biologist submitted a declaration to the court stating an employee of the domestic sheep permittees told him, a GYC employee, and I that grizzly bears are being killed illegally in the Gravelly Mountains. 

I didn’t raise the issue earlier because I didn’t want to be uncomfortable or make the GYC employee uncomfortable. Sometimes staying true to yourself and your values requires you to be uncomfortable. This is one of those times. 

Converstation Starter

- Did an employee of the domestic sheep producers tell the spouse of a Forest Service biologist and a GYC employee that grizzly bears are being illegally killed in the Gravelly Mountains? If that is true, why is GYC supporting the livestock grazing? 

- Did anyone read this recent article <https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/environment/grizzlies-force-closure-in-the-gravelly-range/article_3ccae1dc-7b63-53aa-9259-c9a464d2d3f4.html> about bears getting into livestock in the Gravelly Mountains?


John Meyer
Executive Director & General Counsel 
Cottonwood Environmental Law Center
P.O. Box 412 Bozeman, MT 59771
John at Cottonwoodlaw.org
(406) 546-0149

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