John Muir called America's natural landscapes our version of the grand cathedrals of Europe. He believed the "hope of the world" could be found in "the great fresh unblighted, unredeemed wilderness." The network of public lands, including national parks and wilderness area, stand among our most significant cultural and civic accomplishments. They are also integral parts of our public infrastructure and are engines of prosperity and societal well-being. The fundamental dilemma is this: Will rural prosperity come as a result of pollution, development, and settlement of our wild lands or, will it come in the form of preservation and with it, the conservation of creatures like the grizzly bear and the grey wolf? Our decision will define who we are as Americans and will help decide the future of our western communities and economies. The central questions we explore here is the establishment of the institutional arrangements that occurred that led to the happy outcome that so much social value lies with places of high ecological integrity, including the preservation of habitat for the Yellowstone grizzly bear. To do that we focus on the Greater Yellowstone region of the inter mountain west.
