That could mean more giant rangeland wildfires that in recent decades destroyed vast areas of sagebrush country that support some 350 species of wildlife, including imperiled sage grouse.
The Western Governors' Association published the first-ever list of the 50 worst invasive species -- 25 terrestrial and 25 aquatic -- affecting the west.
If nonnative mussels are detected in Yellowstone, a closure to all watercraft (except authorized National Park Service boats) would occur to prevent the spread to other waterways.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department employees inspected more than 40,000 watercraft in 2014 for aquatic invasive species (AIS). Aquatic invasive species include quagga and zebra mussels. Of the inspections, nearly 2,000 watercraft were considered high risk and Game and Fish personnel did 860 decontaminations to eliminate any AIS being transported on watercraft into Wyoming...