CODY, WY – The Yellowstone Ecosystem Subcommittee (YES) of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) held its fall meeting in Cody, Wyoming on November 16 & 17, 2016.
The main focus was the completion and acceptance of the revised Conservation Strategy by the committee partners. According to YES Chair Mary Erickson, “The final version of the Conservation Strategy was the result of nine conference calls and five in-person meetings over the last year.”
At the meeting in Cody, there was final discussion over the remaining parts of the strategy that had previously been unresolved. A vote was taken and the final revision passed with eighteen voting in support, one against, and one abstaining.
The Conservation Strategy is not official until it is signed by the agency leaders whose staff worked and voted on the revision. It is hoped that this signing will take place at the IGBC annual winter meeting scheduled for December 13 and 14 at the Holiday Inn Downtown Missoula in Missoula, Montana.
The completion and signing of the Conservation Strategy does not trigger delisting of the Yellowstone Ecosystem Population. However, it is another required step in the process of delisting. The public is encouraged to view the completed strategy, but public comment is not being solicited.
