The Rocky Mountains represent some of the most globally significant, intact temperate ecosystems, as well as some of the most threatened—only 2% of temperate grasslands remain on Earth.

The WCS Rocky Mountain Program links the Sierra Madres in Mexico to the Canadian Rockies, and connects the Great Basin to the Great Plains. It holds the headwaters of half of the largest river systems in North America, including the Columbia, Missouri, Colorado, and Rio Grande. Herds of bison, pronghorn, and mule deer, along with populations of wolverine, wolves, and grizzly bear rely on these vital landscapes, including some of nature's most famous strongholds: Yellowstone (the world’s first national park), Banff (Canada’s first national park), Bear’s Ears (the first Indigenous-led National Monument designation), and the Gila (the world’s first wilderness area).

The WCS Rocky Mountain Program focuses on three of the most important biocultural landscapes: the transboundary Crown of the Continent and regions of critical connectivity in the High Divide (Northern Rockies), the U.S. Southern Rockies, and the U.S.-Mexico transboundary Southwest Borderlands.

Why WCS?

WCS was founded in 1895 in no small part to prevent the extinction of bison in North America and, in the ensuing century, it has continued to have a strong presence in the region. We draw from and build on this foundation to secure the long-term needs of wildlife, wildlands, and communities through strategic partnerships with a broad range of interests, influencers, and decision-makers. Together we are working to:

• Co-create a new conservation paradigm—one that recognizes the systemic nature of the conservation challenge, embodies the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, and braids Indigenous science, cultural knowledge and worldviews with Western ones.
• Make the scientific case for rewilding species, landscapes, and watersheds with cultural and local knowledge as well as Indigenous and western science.
• Deepen strategic outreach and partnerships with Indigenous Nations, federal and state agencies, and rural communities to co-create and advance shared conservation goals.
• Create a civic engagement campaign focused on public mobilization and the emergence of a Rewild the Rockies movement.

Unique Voices

For the first time in history, WCS co-hosted the American Bison Society (ABS) Conference in 2019 on Native lands with our Indigenous partner, the Pueblo of Pojoaque. The Conference brought together more than 200 bison visionaries and experts from across the continent, including Tribes, First Nations, scientists, agencies, conservationists, ranchers, artists, and philanthropists to co-create a biocultural roadmap for rewilding buffalo across North America.