The Upper Yellowstone River
With a focus on the stretch of river from the community of Gardiner downstream to Livingston
Along this stretch of the river, in an area commonly known as Paradise Valley, various dynamics exist; family ranches, destination fly fishing, the gateway to Yellowstone National Park, and key wildlife habitat. Hear from a rancher, a river restoration professional, an outdoor recreation business owner, and a Traditional Ecological Knowledge educator who are all deeply connected to this river. Whether the challenge is drought, flood, impact from river recreation, development, or otherwise, witness how approaches that are guided by local communities and by the river itself can create greater resiliency for the people and place here. Learn about the work of the Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group, showing what is possible when people with varying priorities work together for the benefit of the river and landscape that connects them.
Witness how the connectivity and well-being of a community is directly related to that of the environment it is a part of. We hope this film gives a window into some of the specific elements of this river and the people connected to it, as well as messages that resonate for people around the world as they look at their own relationship with their local river.
Scroll down to view the film, podcast episodes, learn about those who are featured,
and view informational links.
View the one minute trailer here:
Life in the Land: The Upper Yellowstone River
View the full 52 minute film here:
How to use the content
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Click on the arrows icon to watch in full screen. Click on the Vimeo icon to watch the film from Vimeo.com or to download the .mp4 of the film before your screening.
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Podcasts
Podcasts feature content from the film, as well as additional interview content.
Podcasts are also available under Stories for Action on Apple, Spotify, Podbean, or on the Stories for Action website.
Podcast Part 1:
Topics covered include the historic flooding of the Yellowstone River in 2022, the aftermath, the impact from increased development in the river's floodplain, and looking forward for resiliency for people and place.
Podcast Part 2:
Topics covered include the impact from increased river recreation, a community-guided response to this pressure, the impacts of land use changes, rural community disconnects, and the challenges and value in collaborative approaches.
Voices Featured
Wendy Weaver
Wendy is the Executive Director of Montana Freshwater Partners, an organization that works to restore, enhance, and protect Montana’s rivers, streams, and wetlands through science-based and innovative solutions that benefit people, communities, and our shared natural environment. Wendy is a licensed professional civil engineer with over 20 years in land development, water, wastewater infrastructure, water resource design, and aquatic resource conservation. She strongly believes in protecting and enhancing Montana’s valuable river and riparian resources, and promoting landscape resiliency.
Druska Kinkie
Druska and her family are livestock producers in Emigrant, MT. They are third generation ranchers with a commercial cow calf operation. Druska served as a co-chair for the Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group for 3 years. Druska has a firm belief that you must have a seat at the table to be involved in solutions for the complex problems affecting agriculture. She has served on many statewide elk committees and has worked with other livestock producers addressing brucellosis, diseased wildlife, designated surveillance areas, and elk management plans. Druska also served as a school board trustee for the Livingston School District.
Scott Frazier
Scott is Santee and an enrolled Crow Tribal Member. He is the Founder of Project Indigenous, which works to connect people to the environments they are a part of through Traditional Ecological Knowledge education. Over several decades, Scott has consulted on a variety of areas related to the environment, Indigenous communities, and water. Outside of Montana, Scott has shared insight and educational practices in Mexico, New Zealand, South America, Hungary, Holland, the NASA Colloquium, Langley Research Cener, Cornell Law College, and elsewhere. When asked what his perspective is as a Native person on water, wellness, and environmental issues, he replied: "To me all things on this planet are Earth,Wind, Fire, and Water. We are a servant to nature not the master of the environment. We are a part of the environment not a part from the environment.
Dale Sexton
Born and raised in Livingston, Dale is the Co-Owner of Dan Bailey's Outdoor Co., which has been providing recreational gear and services to the area since 1938. The original owner, Dan Bailey himself, was not only a fly fishing shop owner, he was a strong advocate for the health and well-being of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Dale carries on that ethic and engages where he can to speak up for the Yellowstone River and the well-being of the ecosystem it is a part of. Dale is also on the Steering Committee for Wild Livelihoods, a coalition of local business owners near Yellowstone National Park who pursue opportunities and meet challenges in the entwined economies and environment of the region.
The Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group
A coalition that works through consensus-based collaboration among the stakeholders of the Upper Yellowstone River watershed to enhance watershed health and the regional economy. Some of their current focal areas include: Water (drought & flood planning, cutthroat trout conservation), Working Lands (weed management, soil health), Wildlife (fencing programs, coexistence), & Recreation (River Recreational Use Study). Full Watershed Group meetings are open to the public. LEARN MORE
Links to entities related to this content:
The Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group
A coalition that works through consensus-based collaboration among the stakeholders of the Upper Yellowstone River watershed to enhance watershed health and the regional economy. Full Watershed Group meetings are open to the public.
Give Back to the Yellowstone Campaign
All proceeds of this campaign support community-guided conservation & restoration projects such as river etiquette signage, river ambassador program development, riparian restoration, & recreational use monitoring.
An organization that works to restore, enhance, and protect Montana’s rivers, streams, and wetlands through science-based and innovative solutions that benefit people, communities, and our shared natural environment.
Park County Conservation District
Park CD, in partnership with NRCS, works to guide Park County in the conservation and management of soil, water, cropland, grazing lands, weeds and small acreages by providing leadership in conservation planning, technical assistance, education resources, and resource management tools and inventories.
Wild Livelihoods Business Coalition
A coalition of local business owners near Yellowstone National Park who pursue opportunities and meet challenges in the entwined economy and environment.
A Montana based organization that utilizes outdoor education to connect people to the environments they are a part of, and works to benefit the well-being of people and place through Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
Park County Environmental Council
An organization that works with communities of Park County to safeguard the land, water, wildlife and people of Yellowstone’s Northern gateway through grassroots organizing and community advocacy.
A coalition of residents, agencies, private foundations, business owners, local landowners, & more in the Upper Yellowstone watershed who are working to find collaborative solutions that enhance the safety of people & wildlife traveling along Highway 89.
A group that promotes thoughtfully planned growth in order to protect and enhance Park County, Montana’s vibrant communities, sustainable working lands, and healthy natural resources.
Montana Watershed Coordination Council
An organization working to unite and support Montana’s community-based conservation networks to promote healthy and productive watersheds.
A community led effort to ensure Gardiner, MT remains an authentic, vibrant, and healthy community.
This film is made possible in part by the Big Sky Film Grant.
