Travel board to weigh $50,000 for elk refuge engagement specialist

The Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board (also the county’s Lodging Tax Board) is set to discuss an “Ambassador Services funding allocation” for the National Elk Refuge community engagement specialist effort at its June 11 meeting. The application asks the board to cover $50,000 of a $68,637.44 staffing budget for two winter naturalists and a weekend supervisor at the National Elk Refuge and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, with the remaining $18,637.44 shown as other funding. meeting agenda

The staff Q-and-A memo frames the request as maintaining long-running winter naturalist positions (dating to 2005) and a weekend manager role piloted in 2025, with the stated goal of keeping free wildlife tours and on-site visitor education running even as revenue from federal pass sales becomes harder to predict. The memo says future funding would rely on a mix of Grand Teton Association bookstore revenue and recreation fees. staff Q&A