NATURAL REGULATION IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK’S NORTHERN RANGE

Abstract

Although the debate over natural regulation as practiced in Yellowstone National Park has been underway since the initiation of the natural process management policy in 1969, controversy over the management of Yellowstone's northern range dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The debate over natural regulation combines elements of scientific disagreement with contrasting social values. Some scientists and range managers critical of natural regulation management have viewed the northern range as seriously eroded and overgrazed due to an overpopulation of elk. Data, and the interpre- tations thereof, have been published supporting this viewpoint. Other scientists have chal- lenged this opinion with the results of longer term studies and disparate interpretations of data gathered by the critics. Contrasting social values range from support for the hands- off management policy for ungulates in Yellowstone National Park to limiting ungulate populations to prevent eminent deterioration of the range. It is the opinion of the authors that extensive published data support the position that current elk populations and sympatric herbivores do not exceed the ecological carrying capacity of the northern range; therefore, the range is not overgrazed by ecological standards. The discourse over science-driven and value-driven opinion will, and should, continue: neither scientific thinking nor social values are immutable.