Big wins for public land and conservation were the theme of 2025

Wyoming’s 2025 legislative session ended in early March, and thanks to hunters and anglers like you, we can count several wins for wildlife and the future of our great state!

Wyomingites Stop Anti-Public Lands Legislation!

Senate Resolution 2 – Resolution demanding equal footing ordered the transfer of federal land to the state, which could have compromised wildlife habitat management and public hunting and fishing access in Wyoming. Transferring federal public lands to state ownership would put the land at risk of development, fragmentation, or sale to private interests. SJ2 died on third reading in the Senate.

House Bill 118 – Limitations on net land gain for the federal government would have prohibited net increases of federal land in Wyoming, including voluntary sales by private landowners like the Marton Ranch and historic sales between state and federal agencies like the recent Kelly Parcel sale. The $100 million sale of the Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park conserved 640 acres of valuable wildlife habitat nestled between the park and Bridger-Teton National Forest.

The TRCP supported this monumental deal because it safeguarded crucial migration corridors, retained elk and bison hunting, and generated a windfall of revenue for Wyoming’s public education system. Without this sale, the land could have been auctioned to developers—a fate avoided thanks to overwhelming public support and private donations. Read more about the Kelly Parcel in this recent blog.

Finally, House Bill 118 would have impeded the State’s ability to pursue future land exchanges that could be a net benefit to the State of Wyoming and sportspeople. This bill passed the House of Representatives but did not meet the deadline to be introduced in the Senate.

Senate File 105 – Preserving state territorial sovereignty would have prohibited the sale of private land to the federal government without legislative approval, hindering opportunities to improve access to public lands, and a clear violation of private property rights.

Due to an uproar of public opposition, all three of these anti-public land bills failed to pass during this legislative session. It’s clear Wyomingites place great value on the places we hunt and fish and are willing to speak up for these places so future generations can enjoy.

Learn more about our efforts to ensure public land access here.

Large Projects Funding Passed!

This annual legislation authorizes the Wildlife Trust to allocate matching funds to leverage important conservation projects across the state. This year’s projects include $6.1 million towards highway crossing structures along highway 189 near Kemmerer to ensure the safety of motorists and migrating wildlife and $550,000 to restore four miles of the North Fork of the Shoshone River to improve spawning conditions for trout and adjacent wetland habitat for wildlife.

Wildlife License Plates Easier to Acquire Thanks to SF0149

The Wildlife Conservation License Plate, launched in 2019, has raised nearly $1 million with an additional $1.8 million of donations for wildlife crossing projects in Wyoming. With more than 8,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions occurring in our state annually, this funding aims to reduce these occurrences by building infrastructure to ensure the safety of both people and wildlife. SF0149 will make purchasing these plates easier by allowing the transaction to happen at the county treasurer’s office instead of solely through the Wyoming Department of Transportation. Buy your plate here!

Camo at the Capitol

On February 13, we joined other sporting partners and over 70 sportsmen and sportswomen for Wyoming Wildlife Federation’s annual Camo at the Capitol.

The day included advocacy training, a tour of the capitol, a press conference, and concluded with a wild game reception attended by Governor Gordon and many other lawmakers. We want to thank all those who attended and our partner organizations in conservation for making the event a success. We hope to see YOU there next year!

Thanks for Entering the Arena of Conservation

While this session delivered wins for large conservation projects funding and a streamlined process for funding highway crossings infrastructure, we were also faced with multiple threats to our public land legacy. We thank our dedicated supporters for entering the arena of conservation and advocating for our issues. Wyoming is one small town and every voice matters. Thank you for using yours.

The TRCP is your resource for all things conservation. In our weekly Roosevelt Report, you’ll receive the latest news on emerging habitat threats, legislation and proposals on the move, public land access solutions we’re spearheading, and opportunities for hunters and anglers to take action. Sign up now.