Traute Parrie - Yellowstone Business Partnership
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This document describes a federal-private partnership between the Beartooth Ranger District and the Yellowstone Business Partnership to promote sustainable operations. They work with other agencies through the Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee. The partnership's UnCommon Sense program certifies businesses adopting sustainability practices. Federal agencies benefit by reducing costs and influencing partners. Accomplishments include a greenhouse gas inventory, energy assessments, and waste reduction. The partnership inspires continued progress on sustainability across the region.
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Traute Parrie - Yellowstone Business Partnership
- 1. Beartooth Ranger District Yellowstone Business Partnership
- 2. Here to describe a Federal – Private alignment in promoting sustainable operations that I believe is: • A good model • Easily replicated • Holds participants accountable – but at a scale of their choosing • Promotes Sustainability Leadership • Rewarding! • Expanding
- 3. WHO ARE WE?
- 5. Beartooth Ranger District (Custer NF) in GYA map Yellowstone Business Partnership map
- 7. Ralph Saunders as Fred Inabnit 1866-1928 East Rosebud, Beartooth Mountains
- 8. First ascent of Granite Peak, highest point in Montana Elers Koch Forest Supervisor Ferguson, and JC Whitham August 19, 1923 Last of the statehighpoints to be climbed
- 10. Doug Chabot Climber – Director, Gallatin Avalanche Center Co-founder, with Genevieve Chabot, of the Iqra Fund on Hellroaring Icefall, Beartooths
- 11. Headwall Skiing Beartooth Basin formerly The Red Lodge International Ski and Snowboard Camp, Beartooth Pass at nearly 11,000’elevation open Memorial Day to July 4 “You could call it backcountry skiing with a lift.”
- 12. Beyond the Beartooths: Renny Jackson
- 15. INSPIRING RANGES
- 16. Granite Peak highest point in Montana, Beartooth and Yellowstone Districts
- 17. Black Canyon Lake Spirit and Forget-Me-Not Mountains Beartooth District
- 18. Mystic Lake in front of Mystic EquinoxTower Ouzel Lake, East Rosebud Trail
- 20. Wind River Range – Titcomb BasinTrail Photo: Copeland
- 21. Photo: SummitPost.org Pilot and Index – Shoshone National Forest
- 22. Greater Yellowstone Area What’s at risk??
- 23. Plight of the Pika
- 25. Cascade Fire 2008 10,000 acre fire 6 mi outsideRed Lodge
- 26. Smoke above Absaroka Mountains, outside Cody August, 2007
- 27. Glacier below Rearguard Beartooth Mountains
- 28. Grasshopper Glacier – Beartooth Mountains 1951
- 29. Grasshopper Glacier – Beartooth Mountains 1953
- 30. Grasshopper Glacier – Beartooth Mountains 1976
- 31. Grasshopper Glacier – Beartooth Mountains 1988
- 32. Grasshopper Glacier – Beartooth Mountains 1994
- 33. Grasshopper Glacier – Beartooth Mountains 2002
- 34. Ice PatchArcheology – Coiled Basket foundAugust 2013
- 37. Whitebark Pine
- 38. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE? Definition of Sustainable Development: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".
- 39. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE? We can accomplish more together -
- 40. Federal side: Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee (GYCC ) Formed in 1964 = core federal lands in the Greater Yellowstone area: 2 National Parks Yellowstone NP Grand Teton NP 6 National Forests Shoshone, Bridger-Teton, Caribou-Targhee, Gallatin, and portions of the Beaverhead-Dearlodge and Custer National Forests 2 National Wildlife Refuges Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole Red Rocks and more recently, adjacent BLM Resource Areas.
- 41. Beartooth Ranger District (Custer NF) in GYA map Yellowstone Business Partnership map
- 42. Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee (GYCC) Sub-Committees to address various resource issues in common, such as invasive species fire management fisheries issues air quality, climate change, and sustainable operations.
- 43. GYCC Sustainable Operation Subcommittee Cultivating Change Today, Growing Environmental Stewardship for Tomorrow Focus Areas — SOS: • Water Conservation • Recycling and Waste Stream Reduction • Energy Conservation • Employee, Visitor and Community Education • Green Purchasing • Fleet and Transportation Management Strategic Vision: As stewards of this very special place, our objective is to cultivate a behavioral shift amongst permittees, concessionaires, employees, and visitors that will promote a heightened awareness of our connectivity to and responsibility for the environment. The SOS through the support of the GYCC will continue to emerge as a leader in ecosystem wide sustainability. Through the efforts of dedicated employees the committee will advance sound environmental stewardship practices.
- 44. Yellowstone Business Partnership The Yellowstone Business Partnership unites businesses dedicated to preserving a healthy environment and shaping a prosperous and sustainable future for communities in the Yellowstone-Teton region. The Partnership promotes scientific understanding, informed dialogue, and collaborative approaches to resolving our region’s most complex cross boundary socioeconomic and natural resource challenges. Modeled after Sierra Business Council
- 45. Beartooth Ranger District (Custer NF) in GYA map Yellowstone Business Partnership map
- 46. Yellowstone Business Partnership just finished it’s 10th year. Note UnCommon Sense program.
- 47. What is the UnCommon Sense program? A two year leadership program for businesses and organizations seeking to operate more efficiently and responsibly. There are 28,000 business in the GYA. Think of the potential! 8 Modules: 1. Leading the Way 2. Waste Stream Managemet 3. Responsible Purchasing 4. Social and Community Investment 5. Energy Efficiencies 6. Water Efficiencies 7. Transportation Efficiencies 8. Business Response to Climate Change (including our ghg emissions reduction action plan) UCS accountability! Scorecards for each module with points required for graduation. Viewed as a regional certification.
- 48. Who is in the UnCommon Sense program? USFS Partners in UCS: Red Lodge Mountain ski area • Bridger Bowl ski area • Stillwater Mining Company (platinum, palladium) – 2nd largest employer in State of Montana Greater influence; Reach more members of the public, employees Fellow UCS classmates – Montana State U, Teton Science School, several architectural firms, City of Bozeman, NOLS, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Post Register newspaper, First Interstate Bank, several restaurants and travel companies Expanding to the Crown of the Continent – to Glacier NP/Big Mountain/Whitefish area
- 49. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE HAVE? We can accomplish more together -
- 50. Federal – Private partnership WHY DID WE JOIN? My rationale for joining YBP, then UnCommon Sense program: Want to support YBP’s commitment to the triple bottom line: • Environmental, • Social and • Economic well-being of the communities of the GYA • Well aligned with our own objectives • Our agency needs to “Walk the Talk”, • as land managers • for Consistency with our Permittees in the UnCommon Sense program • Red Lodge Mountain • Stillwater Mine
- 51. Quote from Paul Hawken - environmental entrepreneur and widely published author: “Business is the only mechanism on the planet today powerful enough to produce the changes necessary to reverse global environmental and social degradation.”
- 52. Federal – Private partnership Common goals for and barriers to sustainable operations – for both Government and Business • Common Drivers: • Reduce overhead costs to free up more money to do mission work • As taxpayers, we all have an interest in reducing operating costs • Common interest in maintaining natural resources • Common Challenges: • Employee capacity; It takes time • It can take money • Skepticism • Unique Challenge (Federal side): • Incentive to reduce our overhead costs is much more indirect. How to get those savings back to the unit? • Therefore, looking for opportunities to leverage our own practices with those of neighboring participants including our own permittees (ski area, platinum mine) – influence vendors, bring in bio-fuel, etc
- 53. GYCC Sustainable Operation Subcommittee Cultivating Change Today, Growing Environmental Stewardship for Tomorrow Accomplishments—SOS: Energy Conservation: • GYA Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory completed on all units. This was the first ecosystem-wide GHG inventory. • Subsequent GHG Emissions Reduction Action Plan – 20% by 2020 • Georgia Tech interns conducted GYA wide assessment of energy conservation opportunities in historic buildings, while maintaining historic integrity • Exploring micro-hydro opportunities at remote work centers Water Conservation: • Kohler, Inc. donated 37 water conserving fixtures to be installed across the GYA, resulting in a projected reduction of water consumption by an estimated 450,000 gallons per year.
- 54. solar panels, Ennis Ranger Station
- 55. Pulling barbed wire fence. Recycled 12.8 miles of fence, or 14.5 T of steel. Photo: Beau Fredlund
- 58. Glass pulverizer - YNP RECYCLING
- 59. Stillwater Mine
- 60. Bio-diesel – at the mine, the Park, and the Forest?
- 61. Water
- 62. Wildlife
- 63. Lamar Buffalo Ranch, YNP and Yellowstone Institute
- 64. Mobile propane canister and bear spray canister recycling units
- 65. Local partnership: Coupons from us, to get a discount on reusable bottles at the local mountaineering shop
- 66. Sharing the news with the public: - the need - how can visitors help?
- 67. Beartooth District GreenTeam - graduates! - 2013
- 68. BEYOND THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE
- 69. Central Cascade Mountains – Leavenworth Climbing Rangers – Recovered webbing Prusik Peak – Enchantments Alpine Lakes Wilderness
- 70. 10th Mountain Huts – solar panels at Betty Bear Hut
- 71. Mountain Culture • Indigenous cultures - Inherently sustainable? • Effects of tourism
- 72. Khumbu
- 73. Khumbu
- 74. Khumbu
- 75. The journey continues…! – it is SO rewarding, refreshing, and inspirational interacting with businesses outside the usual USFS sphere, and to see how much they can accomplish! I would highly encourage folks to look into joining similar organizations in your area.
- 76. Lead From Where You’re At
- 77. Beartooth Ranger District Yellowstone Business PartnershipTraute Parrie District Ranger Beartooth Ranger District Custer Gallatin National Forest tparrie@fs.fed.us 406-446-4529
Editor's Notes
- Just thrilled – to be among this esteemed group. I have a passion for BOTH these topics! Sustainability side because…. my responsibility to manage this ground for the greatest good? what I’ve seen in my limited travels the way I was raised But of course, THIS is a group of mountain enthusiasts….. So I promise to emphasize the SUMMITS as well as the sustainability… and maybe in the process, encourage some of you to come work with me!
- I’m promoting the partnership opportunities between government and business to leverage resources and accomplish common goals with respect to sustainability.
- GYA = Greater Yellowstone Area Both Fed and Private regional affiliations
- My home is the Beartooth District of the Custer NF (based in Red Lodge, MT) And part of the GYA
- Where is the Beartooth? Point out YNP
- 1866-1928 – Namesake of Mount Inabnit, near East Rosebud Lake, Honored for his success in inspiring other with his love and enthusiasm for these mountains, “whose silent depths and glorious heights” he explored for many years. Monument rededication in 2010.
- From Beartooth Mtns book, plus climbing photo 3 Forest Service employees….
- Billings climber Chad Chadwick, who pioneered many routes on rock and ice in the Beartooths in the 1960s and '70s and made the first direct ascent of Granite Peak's face in 1972 with Warren Bowman.
- Iqra Fund – 2011 nonprofit organization committed to serving girls in remote regions faced with economic, social, and political barriers to education.
- Headwall skiing in my backyard – Popular activity for the last 6 weeks or so..
- Renny Jackson Bolt from the Blue – about their 2003 Rescue and Recovery effort on the Grand..
- A couple of talented Wyoming climbers who are no longer with us: Todd Skinner, originally from Pinedale, WY - the world's first free ascent of a grade 7 climb. – died 2006, age 47 Bobby Model – Nat Geo photographer/climber – died 2009, age 36
- Home to a couple of other Bozeman climbers you may have heard of….. I’ll defer to Jenny and Conrad to talk about that…
- from “Issues” pub
- Can only go so high..
- Of course many variables contributing to escalating fire seasons – But certainly Climate Change is one of them..
- In ‘88, this was unique; Now it’s routine
- Losing our glaciers, the source of so much of our fresh water -
- Time lapse
- a remarkable discovery last summer —a coiled basket melting out of an ice patch in the Beartooth Mountains. Ice patches differ from glaciers in that they’re static – they don’t move, they don’t grind things up. Prehistoric basketry of any kind is quite rare on the NW Plains (and its “island” mountain ranges), but shows up in a small string of rockshelters running up through the Big Horn Basin into Montana and at Pictograph Cave. It occurs as early as 4500 years BP (Mummy Cave) and seems to disappear from the archaeological record at ca. 1200 years BP. Analogy – “the refrigerator door is open; contents are spoiling”. A brief window of opportunity to recover artifacts. Dr. Craig Lee - Ice Patch archeologist
- Hi altitude species in decline, and G Bear Food source
- Brundtland Commission’s 1987 definition: Sustainable development is the kind of development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Formally known as the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), the Brundtland Commission's mission is to unite countries to pursue sustainable development together. 1987 report at a UN conference.
- 3 Pillars of Sustainability identified at the 2005 World Summit on Social Development
- Focus on Federal map
- Sustainable Operations vs sustainable land management…. Climate Change – Mitigation / Adaptation Sustainable Ops is on the mitigation side – or prevention Federal charter: GYCC’s Sustainable Operations Sub-Committee formed in 2005
- Focus on YBP map
- YBP charter Sustainable Framework – based on LEED certifications, from USGBC (Platinum, Gold, Silver) But bringing it down to the regional level; Specific to GYA issues and resources Note the UnCommon Sense program – Regional Transportation Cooperative – vision of providing a visitor a car-free vacation; or for workers, residents This particular vision proved to be tricky – will come back to this..
- A two year leadership program for businesses and organizations seeking to operate more efficiently and responsibly. There are 28,000 business in the GYA. Think of the potential! UCS accountability! Scorecards for each module with points required for graduation. Viewed as a regional certification Notice the correlation with GYCC (Federal) focus areas MOST BENEFICIAL aspect of the program: sitting with peers, brainstorming solutions. Not reinventing the wheel. Discovering that support network..
- Can add logos??
- What’s the Forest Service’s role? Environmental? Social? Economic well-being? of the communities of the Greater Yellowstone Association (GYA) OR – All of the Above?
- “WE” is the Beartooth RD – Mine is the only District in the whole USFS system to partner with business on sustainability with this model. Solid sustainability foundation through GYCC’s SOS, but 1) YBP’s emphasis on the triple bottom line, and want to support these businesses that support the environmental side of that equation. It goes both ways. 2) The UCS program forced a higher degree of accountability. AND 3):
- Understand the limitations of gov’t!
- Have the history of working individually….
- Over the past three years, we’ve removed 12.8 miles of fence in the Pryor Mountains. As many as 3,300 steel posts and 153 rolls of barbed wire were gathered. This equals approximately 14.5 tons of steel, which we gathered and recycled in Billings (shown in picture to the right).
- The visitor center was the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified property in Wyoming and only the fifty-second Platinum rating in the LEED program.[4] [5] Featuring composting toilets, extensive use of natural daylighting, and a 10 kW photovoltaic system, among other features, the facility earned all 17 LEED energy points.[6] dedicated on June 21, 2008.
- BUT – the point of UnCommon Sense is to get us to think bigger… Influence change: RLM reduced the number of vendors making deliveries up the mountain, and worked with local restaurants to bring responsible products to town. Also: Bridge Creek Restaurant – compostable take-out containers
- YNP glass pulverizer – rather than shipping glass 100’s of miles to a landfill outside the GYA Opportunity for business!!
- Stillwater Mining Company (SMC) operates the Stillwater and East Boulder Mines in the Beartooth Mountains. Both mines are located on the J-M Reef, one of the world’s richest known deposits of platinum group metals (PGMs), and the only known significant source of PGM’s in the U.S. and outside of Russia and South Africa. The Stillwater Mine has about 1,650 employees. It’s also at the mouth of Stillwater Canyon, and a major portal to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
- A partner in UnCommon Sense – Focus on sus ops that can be expanded. Pic 5: Picture of a 2-yd Mucker. In addition to the use of bio-diesel, all equipment is equipped with soot traps, carbon regen, and tier 3 engines. Along with the use of ultra-low sulfur fuels, Stillwater’s air quality emissions of CO, SOx, NOx, and Particulates have been reduced by upwards of 70% in the past 10 years. Pic 14: Bio-Diesel Fuel Tote Underground. Stillwater uses approximately 900,000 gallons of bio-diesel annually making it the largest user in Montana and one of the largest in the Northwest. Yellowstone Park bio-diesel bus Of NOTE: WHY does SMC use bio-deisel? 2 fold: good neighbors; but good for the economic bottom line THEY SAVE MONEY So – for the sus ops skeptics – sell is from the cost saving perspective Whether focus is conservation of energy, water, fuel, paper, etc… NOT ALL GREEN choices cost $
- Water: Pic 2: Stillwater recycles all of the water necessary to support underground operations - This amounts to roughly 1,000,000 gallons of water per day. Pic 8: Biological and water quality sampling on the Stillwater River in association with Stillwater Protective Association – local environmental group. Pic 15: Stillwater use to direct all septic waters to a drainfield. Now, all septic waters (up to 15,000 gpd) are biologically treated for nutrients, sent through an ultra-violent disinfection system, and finally to land application where the waters are beneficially reused. Pic 9: Hertzler Pivots – Beneficially using treated mine water rather than direct discharge into Stillwater River. Site is then leased to local rancher for cattle grazing.
- Wildlife and mining ops Pic 7: Big Horn Sheep - the herd has recently reached the highest number on record. Current herd size is over 60 animals. Up dramatically from the low 20’s 20 years ago. Pic 11: Herd of elk wintering on the Hertzler Ranch Property. Stillwater does allow hunting on the property for first-year hunters; disabled hunters; and active military personnel. Pic 3: Black Bear near one of Stillwater’s Power Poles. Good neighbor agreement – workers are bused from many MT communities. Minimize traffic on the road. Good for WL.
- Billings business MSU Recycling and Waste Stream Reduction: · Propane Cylinder Recycling Project · Since the project began in 2008, over 35,000 propane cylinders have been collected and recycled throughout the GYA. · Madison Ranger District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF purchased a baler for plastic recycling for the town of Ennis and surrounding communities, making the collection and transport more efficient.
- Note the moose photo above the filling station Other low-hanging fruit in the office environment (gov’t or business) Copiers/printers default to double-sided printing Changing light bulbs – or better yet – leave the lights off, use daylight (people have thought we were closed!)
- “it” being??
- Home of Fred Beckey
- Local power, vs the grid – by necessity
- Recognizing what tourists want – but creating a different incentive: 80 rupees for bottled water 50 rupees to use the bottle filling station – treated by solar powered ozone treatment
- SPOWTS = Solar Powered Ozone Water Treatment System – sign for Education
- EDIT: Evolution of orgs in GYA; YBP reorganizing – let their vision outstrip their capacity, evolving into Sustainable Yellowstone, and others MT DEQ stepped in to help fund UCS Those at this conference!
- Successes are not generally due to gov’t or business mandates, but a result of GRASS ROOTS EFFORTS..and SUS OPS Champions.. Do what you can to enable your champions – Encourage partnerships – INSPIRE: Create incentives Tie it to local issues people care about Build momentum until you get a critical mass BE THE SPARK
- Back to this idea of encouraging some of you to come work with me: As much as I’m honored to be here today – I’m also honored to have been tasked with managing a really special piece of ground, with a most dedicated group of fellow Federal employees. Management of National Forests/Parks/Refuges, etc is in a critical period now. So, for those of you interested in your heritage of public lands, get engaged! Questions?? - Anticipated questions??