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Our Mission & Vision

We bring the community together to support the Bridger-Teton National Forest where it is most needed, ensuring it remains a land of many uses for us all.

Our Mission & Vision

Our Story

The idea began in the early 1980s: Teton County locals wanted to donate money to make improvements to trailheads and other projects to support and enhance their favorite national forest. However, it’s not possible to donate money to the U.S. federal government. We needed a nonprofit to support the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Friends of the Bridger-Teton was officially founded in 2019. Since then, we’ve used grants and donations—both monetary and in-kind items (like bear-proof trash cans and fire rings) to support the BTNF and help promote responsible recreation so that we can all enjoy the forest’s diversity and wealth of resources now and into the future.

In March of 2022, the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board (JHTTB) awarded FBT $1 million of grant funding to support marketing and communications efforts focused on responsible recreation and on-the-ground ambassadors on the BTNF. This injection of grant funds into our organization represented a turning point and significant expansion of the impact FBT could have on the forest. The JHTTB continues to be a partner and funder of FBT’s work as an important pillar in visitor management and education in Teton County, Wyoming

Our master agreement with the USFS puts us in a unique position to help fill gaps in funding and capacity so we can do projects similar to the very projects our friends in the 1980s envisioned for the Bridger-Teton National Forest and more. We partner with businesses and NGOs to make stuff happen. Our forest ambassadors work diligently to educate visitors and prevent things from happening (like wildfires and human/wildlife conflicts), and our educational videos and materials help people prepare before they enter the forest.

 

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Infinite Opportunities for Exploration

The 3.4 million acres of the BTNF cross five counties and are managed by six ranger districts. The BTNF is the single largest mass of public land within the 15-million acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, itself the largest intact ecosystem in the Lower 48.

Videos de habilidades del senderismo

Estos videos explicá ¿cómo prevenir accidentes? ¿Cómo dejar un lugar mejor de como lo encontraste? ¿Qué encargar para una caminata? ¿Y cómo protegerse de y cohabitar con osos?

Videos de habilidades del senderismo

About the BTNF

The Bridger-Teton National Forest is bigger than Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks combined, and home to some of the wildest landscapes in the Lower 48. It has 3 Wilderness areas and more than 2,500 miles of trails, and contains the headwaters of the Green and Snake Rivers. People recreate, recharge, and find refuge on the BTNF. If you haven’t, please explore the forest, whether by skiing, hiking, hunting, fishing, or collecting firewood. Humans aren’t the only users of the BTNF, though: 74 species of mammals, 355 species of birds, six species of reptiles, and 25 species of fish live within its borders.

Our Staff

Scott Kosiba

Executive Director

Margo Feingold

Programs Manager

Jennifer Ricupero

Partnership Manager

Dina Mishev

Communications Manager

Our Board

Chuck Butterfield

Tim Gardiner

Marc Domsky

Ian MacLeod

Gracy Carpenter

Sharon Smitherman

Steve Markason

Karen Daubert

Ellen Fales

Susan Marsh

Forest Corps

We’re excited to introduce the Forest Corps, a new seasonal initiative designed to help fill critical gaps.

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Katherine Ergil

Jillian Greene

Sage Abate

Elly McFarland

Monica Elliott

Partners

It takes a community to protect an ecosystem.

No one organization can steward a landscape as marvelously expansive, diverse, and complex as the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Always with the best interests of the BTNF in mind, we work with more than 100 partner organizations, including nonprofits like Friends of Pathways, Teton Adaptive Sports, and Tip Top Search and Rescue; government offices like Sublette County Weed & Pest, the Town of Jackson, and the USDA Forest Service; and also private companies like Kate’s Real Food, Roadhouse Brewing Co., and Dometic.

Our ability to be good stewards across a forest the size of Connecticut depends heavily on our ability to work with partners with shared values and priorities.

A huge thank you to all of our partners.

Interested in being a partner of Friends?

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FBT News

Forest Corps Update June 2025

The FBT Forest Corps crew has hit the ground running. “The early season is going great!” says Forest Corps leader Monica Elliott. “It seems that project partners from each district...

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Putting Money Where the Fun Is

A new fee system in the Snake River Canyon Area will help the BTNF enhance user experiences and safety, and also protect the river’s wild and scenic values. And users...

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Bridging the Gap on the BTNF

Like many public lands across the country, the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF) is feeling the effects of staffing cuts, especially going into this summer. With fewer wilderness rangers and trail...

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Jay Pistono: Teton Pass Backcountry Ambassador

Jay Pistono worked for the Bridger-Teton National Forest for nearly 20 years as its only paid Teton Pass Ambassador. He’s worked to create a culture of decency among the occasionally...

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BTNF Ambassador Artist in Residence

Jess Moore was our first-ever Ambassador Artist in Residence

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A Bear that Transcended Boundaries: 399 and the BTNF

 

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BFFs of the BTNF

BFFs of the BTNF print campaign launches in local publications

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FBT’s new radio station: 1710 AM

  In July, FBT launched a new radio station with tips on how to recreate responsibly on the BTNF, and it’s getting a boost from Indiana Jones. Turn the AM...

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Fire Ring Installation – BTNF, August 2023

  There’s a lot going on during the busiest month on the BTNF. Trailheads and campgrounds are crowded and our Ambassadors are busy educating forest users about responsible recreation and...

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FBT News July 2023

Hello Friends, Summer has finally arrived in Wyoming and I could not be happier! So much has happened over the last few months in the life of Friends of the...

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@bridgertetonfriends Mikenna Smith is a BFF of the BTNF because "it's the best part of living in Wyoming!" Read more about why she loves the 3.4 million acre Bridger-Teton National Forest in this week's Jackson Hole Daily. #bffofthebtnf #bridgertetonnationalforest #bridgertetonfriends @tetonweedpest #responsiblerecreation #coolentomologistjobs #getoutside #jacksonholelife FBT is again participating in WyoGives, the online statewide 24-hour giving event. This year it takes place on Tuesday, July 16th. What makes WYOGives great? 1. Every gift made to FBT at WyoGives.org on July 16th is boosted through the Hughes Charitable Foundation Incentive Pool—giving your donation to FBT an even greater impact on the national forest we all love so much. 2. The first 25 people who donate to FBT through WYOGives will get a free AllTrails+ Membership! Donate July 16 at wyogives.org or the link in our bio. #WyoGives #bridgertetonfriends #bffofthebtnf #bridgertetonnationalforest #btnf #supportpubliclands #supportnationalforests #alltrails @alltrails Want to know more about the grizzly mom and cubs in these photos? Read our blog about Grizzly 399 in the link in our profile. Although originally envisioned to guide policy for roughly 15–20 years, the BTNF’s current forest plan has been in place since 1990. Last year the BTNF embarked on a multi-year revision process to update the plan and released its Draft Assessment for public review and comment on July 11. This Draft Assessment was informed by gathering data and the best available science to determine current ecological, social, and economic conditions and trends affecting the forest and also public engagement. Read and comment on the Draft Assessment at the link in our bio. Public comment is open through August 24, 2025. The BTNF is also taking the Draft Assessment on "tour" during the public comment period: • 5 – 7 p.m. July 14 at the Afton Civic Center Room 125 A&B, 150 Washington Street, in Afton; • 5 – 7 p.m. July 15 at the Teton County Library Ordway Auditorium, 125 Virginian Lane, in Jackson; • 5 – 7 p.m. July 17 at the Pinedale Library Lovatt Room, 155 South Tyler Avenue, in Pinedale The BTNF is working to plan additional engagement events in nearby communities during the public comment process. We'll update this event page as these are confirmed. The hope is to have a new plan by 2028, but this is a goal, not a deadline. Want to know more about what goes into the Forest Planning process? There is an excellent article in this summer's issue of Jackson Hole magazine that you can read in a link in our bio. #bridgertetonnationalforest #bridgertetonfriends #btnfforestplanrevision @jacksonholemag @mollyarmbrechtabsolon #publiclands #nationalforests #publicland #nationalforest #wyomingwildlands #wyomingwilderness #pinedalewyoming #jacksonhole The BTNF is home to rivers, creeks, reservoirs, and lakes that together are home to 25 species of fish. Anglers from around the world come to the BTNF to fish. Help keep the forest’s fisheries healthy—and yourself safe—by following these guidelines: 1. Follow local fishing regulations, which do vary between, and even within, the BTNF’s 6 districts. Annually, Wyoming Game & Fish publishes a regulations book; the 2025 book can be found here: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Fish/Fishing-Regulation. Don’t feel like reading this online? When you buy your Wyoming fishing license, you will get a paper copy. 2. If you’re practicing catch-and-release fishing and want to take some photos, be quick. “Don’t hold it out of water for 2 minutes as you get the perfect shot,” Kemmerer district ranger Adam Calkins says. “Keep it under the water and only bring it out when you’re ready for the picture to be taken and then put it back in the water.” 3. Help prevent aquatic invasive species (AIS) by cleaning, draining, and drying all of your gear after each fishing adventure. Any boat coming from out of state is required to have an inspection from Wyoming Game & Fish prior to entering any Wyoming water. Read more about AIS in Wyoming here. #bridgertetonnationalforest #bridgertetonfriends #responsiblefishing #beafriendtofish @wygameandfish #kemmererdistrict #btnfkemmererdistrict #playcleango @tetonweedpest #wyomingrecreation #recreateresponsibly Meet Mike Johnson, Greys River District, Moose Flat Campground Second-year Ambassador Mike Johnson started coming up to the Greys River in 1988. “I camped up here with a friend that year and we were so enamored with it that we said we’d come up every year,” Mike says. “I also started bringing my kids and eventually grandkids. It’s become a family tradition every year.” Retired from working for the city of Orem, Utah for 25 years in 2004 and from the private sector in 2023, Mike has volunteered for city and state lands for years. Last year was his first time volunteering on federal lands. He was happy to get posted to Moose Flats because that was an area he had often camped with his family. “It’s a place that has been a connection for me for most of my life,” he says. “It’s a beautiful valley and remote enough that you don’t have your cell phone and you can just get away.” Because the Greys River area, which is the busiest spot of the BTNF’s Greys River Ranger District, is so important to him, Mike spends the time talking to and, when needed, helping educate Moose Flats campers, whether he’s on duty or off. “Even when I’m not on, I try to wear my volunteer hat whenever I can,” he says. “When I’m out ATVing or hiking, or fishing—I am an example of how to recreate responsibly on the BTNF.” Mike is at Moose Flats with his cat, Moji. He got her just before his first summer as an Ambassador and Moji surprised him by giving birth to a litter of five kittens in early August. “She’s a fun camping buddy, but still doesn’t like driving in the car.” Fun Fact: One of his grand-daughters is named Lucy Grey, after the Greys River. A huge thanks to the Alpine Travel & Tourism Board for supporting our Greys River Road Ambassadors! #ambassadorsforresponsiblerecreation #bridgertetonnationalforest #bridgertetonfriends #greysriver #volunteergov #publiclandsvolunteer

We acknowledge with respect that our facilities are situated on the aboriginal land of the Shoshone Bannock. Eastern Shoshone. Northern Arapaho. Crow. Assiniboine. Sioux. Gros Ventre. Nez Perce.

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