** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS INCREASINGLY INVESTED IN THE RESTORATION OF WILDLIFE POPULATIONS. HOWEVER, CO-EXISTENCE WITH WILDLIFE CAN COME AT A COST TO PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, AND CONSERVATION CAN BE PERCEIVED AS A THREAT TO RURAL COMMUNITIES. CONFLICT OVER EFFORTS TO CONSERVE WIDE-RANGING HOOFED MAMMALS (E.G., ELK) IN THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM (GYE) IS EMBLEMATIC OF THIS ISSUE BECAUSE HERDS MOVE BETWEEN PROTECTED AREAS, WHERE THEY BENEFIT THE PUBLIC, AND KEY SEASONAL HABITAT IN PRIVATE LANDS, WHERE THEY CREATE COSTS. EXISTING TOP-DOWN RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT FALL SHORT IN PROTECTING WILDLIFE IN THE GYE'S PRIVATE LANDS, BUT VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, SUCH AS WILDLIFE OCCUPANCY AGREEMENTS, MAKE IT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE FOR LANDOWNERS TO CO-EXIST WITH WILDLIFE. HOWEVER, VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PROGRAM DESIGN IS CHALLENGED BY A NEED TO INCORPORATE THE PERSPECTIVES OF A DIVERSE SET OF LANDOWNERS AND ADDRESS CHALLENGES TO INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GYE THROUGH TWO OBJECTIVES: 1) IDENTIFY THE ROOT DRIVERS OF CONSERVATION AND LIVELIHOOD CONFLICTS; AND 2) ASSESS POTENTIAL VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION TOOLS AND THEIR BEST APPLICATIONS. THESE OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH TWO ACTIVITIES: (I) A COLLABORATIVE MAPPING PROGRAM WITH LANDOWNERS; AND (II) THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A MODELLING APPROACH THAT ECONOMIC, ECOLOGICAL, AND COMMUNITY-GENERATED DATA TO ASSESS CAUSAL DRIVERS. THE ABOVE WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PD INTO AN INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENTIST WHOSE WORK BRIDGES ACADEMIA AND CONSERVATION POLICY TO SUPPORT THE CO-EXISTENCE OF HUMANS AND WILDLIFE IN PRODUCTIVE WORKING LANDSCAPES. THE RESULTS OF THIS PROGRAM WILL BE WIDELY APPLICABLE TO ADDRESSING CONSERVATION CONFLICT IN THE US AND WILL SUPPORT AFRI FARM BILL PRIORITY AREA VI (AGRICULTURE ECONOMIC AND RURAL COMMUNITIES) AND USDA STRATEGIC GOALS 4 (FACILITATE RURAL PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT) AND 5 (STRENGTHEN THE STEWARDSHIP OF PRIVATE LANDS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH).