Yellowstone-to-Yukon project builds 204 crossings, saves 24M hectares

Thirty-three years after scientists began an ambitious effort to reconnect wild areas across North America, a cross-border conservation project stretching from Wyoming to northern Canada has been named a finalist for Prince William's Earthshot Prize. The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, launched in 1993, has helped establish 204 wildlife crossings and protect about 24 million hectares (59 million acres) of land. According to The Associated Press, the initiative is one of 15 finalists for the 2026 award, which gives five winners £1 million each to help expand their environmental work. The project brings together private landowners, Indigenous Nations, governments and scientists to protect a 3,400-kilometre corridor through the Rocky Mountains.