* ACTIONALERT – PUBLIC COMMENTS NEEDED *

Elk and Bison ManagementPlanning Underway
forNational Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Park Service (NPS) are leading
development of a management plan/environmentalimpact statement (EIS) for the bison and elk
that utilize the NationalElk Refuge (NER) and Grand Teton NationalPark (GTNP) near
Jackson, Wyoming. These animals are partof the “Jackson Hole Bison and Elk Herds,” which
comprise the largestconcentrations of free-ranging bison and elk in North America -
approximately 14,000 elk and 600 bison. Because the animals also use other lands, the FWS
and NPS are seeking to implement a cooperative approach to managementplanning involving
all of the associated federal and state agencies and a broad range of organized and private
interests.

The USDA Forest Service and Animaland PlantHealth Inspection Service are cooperators and
the State of Wyoming and the Bureau ofLand Management are partners in the planning effort.
The EIS willanalyze managementoptions for the NER and GTNP and how those options may
impact the missions and interests of allstakeholders.

This is an important opportunity for public inputconcerning what alternatives willbe developed
and analyzed in the upcoming Draft EIS, expected to be published in September 2002.

While the final decision is a ways off, now is your chance to support preservation of the
Jackson bison and elk herds – our natural heritage!

Direct your comments to:

Bison andElk Management Plan
National Elk Refuge
POBox 510
Jackson, Wyoming 83001
Bison/elk_planning@fws.gov

Please include your name and mailing address, and request that your comments be
included inthe project record and considered inthe public scoping analysis.

Information is available on the Internet: http://bisonandelkplan.fws.gov