Environmental
Ambassadors will hit the water this summer to connect river recreationalists with stewardship resources in Paradise Valley and Livingston. Montana Freshwater Partners’ Give Back to the Yellowstone announced the launch of its 2026 Yellowstone River Ambassador Program, a pilot initiative placing river ambassadors at busy Fishing Access Sites along the Upper Yellowstone River this summer to promote responsible recreation, river etiquette, and conservation stewardship.
Late June through mid-August, ambassadors will be stationed at Mayor’s Landing, Carter’s Bridge, Grey Owl, and Emigrant—some of the most heavily used access sites in the Paradise Valley corridor. They will engage directly with recreationalists, offering hands-on assistance and provide practical information on river recreation to help alleviate issues commonly reported to MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks, including: parking conflicts, trespassing, boat ramp etiquette, food storage, and Leave No Trace practices.
“The Yellowstone is one of the last free-flowing rivers in the lower 48, and recreational pressure on it has grown steadily—with no signs of slowing down. This program is our community’s proactive response. Our ambassadors aren’t out there to cite anyone; they’re there to meet people where they are, help them have a better experience on the river, and turn that energy into stewardship,” says Wendy Weaver, Executive Director, Montana Freshwater Partners.
Ambassadors will distribute river maps and educational materials, offer use of electric pumps to help floaters launch efficiently, hand out river cleanup bags, and educate the public on the conservation license requirement. They will also capture recreational use observations in coordination with MSU’s Department of Ecology, generating data that will inform river management and future program development.
“River use on the Upper Yellowstone has surged over the past few years and our sites are more congested than ever. FWP looks forward to working with MT Freshwater Partners and the Yellowstone Ambassador Program to help manage this growth, ensuring the river remains cleaner, safer and more welcoming for all users. Having this presence out there will help supplement our limited staff time allocated to the river and help to minimize ecological impacts while promoting good river ethics,” says Mark Filonczuk, Region 3 Recreation Manager, MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
The 2026 pilot is organized by Montana Freshwater Partners in partnership with MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Joe Brooks Trout Unlimited, Park County Environmental Council, Bear Awareness Gardiner, Wild Livelihoods, ISAN, Explore Livingston, Park County Community Foundation, Upper Yellowstone Watershed Group, and Yellowstone Country.
For more information or to get involved, visit https://freshwaterpartners.org/river-ambassadors/ or contact wweaver@freshwaterpartners.org.