Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

An ecosystem can be as small as a pond or as large as the planet. The 18-million acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is one of the largest, relatively intact temperate zone ecosystems left on Earth. Straddling Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem includes Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, portions of seven surrounding national forests, three national wildlife refuges, and state and private lands.

While much of the region surrounding the Ecosystem has been transformed from high plains to agricultural use, Greater Yellowstone still contains nearly all the living organisms present in pre-Columbian times, though not in the same numbers.

Check out an essay, "Stalked by Dinosaurs" by Patricia Dowd, Montana Conservation Coordinator for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.