Events

With an emphasis on stories set in the wild and rural areas of the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains and high desert sagebrush steppe, the festival inspires audiences to better understand our current world and work toward a future where people and natural environments prosper together.

From one Park County festival-goer: “The caliper of films was terrific, and I learned from each one. Elk in Paradise, in particular, gave me an important new perspective. Even though I’ve lived in GYE for 40 years, I’d never thought about the challenge ranchers face, their narrow profit margin, or how advantageous it is to keep those large ranches intact. You guys and your collaborators are doing important work!” 

Films cover such topics as wildlife-friendly fencing, ranchers living with elk, ranchland conservation, black-footed ferret recovery, adventurous spirits, the Crow tribe’s relationship to Heart Mountain, and more. 

“These films celebrate the ways people are connected to the land.” says former festival director Emilene Ostlind. “We hope this festival can elevate some of the innovative conservation work that is going on around the West that helps both humans and wild places.” 

Originally designed to help connect many of Park County’s excellent stewardship resources with an interested public, the event is growing more eclectic each year. “Good stewardship of the land creates great wildlife habitat, quality products to eat and drink, and an awesome place to live,” said Laura Bell, event organizer and facilitator of the East Yellowstone Collaborative.

The event brings together groups, experts, and resources with the primary goal of helping people help the land. Groups attending include: Absaroka Fence Initiative, Beyond Yellowstone Program, Big Horn Citizens for Economic Development, BLM, Cad’s Farm Beef, Cody Active Transportation, Cody Cattlewomen, Conservation and Irrigation Districts, East Yellowstone Collaborative, Farm Services Agency, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Ishawooa Mesa Ranch, Master Gardeners, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nature Conservancy, Park County Open Lands, Park County Weed and Pest, Pitchfork Ranch, Powell Economic Partnership, Rails to Trails, Shoshone National Forest, Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trout Unlimited, UW Extension, Western Landowners Alliance, Wyoming Game and Fish, Wyoming Grazing Lands Association, and Wyoming Stockgrowers Land Trust. “Good stewardship of land, healthy wildlife, and good food from the land go hand in hand,” says Bell.

“We get calls every day from small landowners needing help controlling invasive weeds and wanting to learn how to be more productive with their land”, said Ann Trosper, Powell Clarks Fork Conservation District ED. “This event is a new approach to supporting people with land issues, and I want them to know that we can help deploy resources and tools that address a range of issues like irrigation water, weeds, and zero-scaping,” she went on to say.

Weeds, Wildlands, and More! is always open to the public . Visitors will be encouraged to drop in anytime to explore tables and enjoy snacks and a cash bar. Door prizes, including some local ranch beef, are a crowd favorite. “No formal presentations are planned, but there will be lots of tables, good conversations, and socializing for everyone,” said Laura Bell.

The event provides an opportunity to focus on topics of interest to the landowner community, learn landowner and manager perspectives on current issues, and have a chance to visit socially with neighbors and partners.

Some of the topics of interest for past or future gatherings include: learning about USDA/Wyoming Big Game Conservation Partnership opportunities, development of a Brucellosis Compensation Fund for the Absaroka Front, virtual fencing, large carnivore conflict mitigation practices, controlling cheatgrass, and others.

East Yellowstone Collaborative (EYC) invites you to the Wyoming Virtual Fence Symposium – Harnessing Virtual Fencing: Insights from Producers, Vendors, and Researchers.

Learn about the latest virtual fence technology from vendors, hear the experiences of landowners that have used virtual fence, and discover partnership and funding opportunities to utilize virtual fence on your own property. Connect with friends, partners, good food, and conversation!