Examining the Collision Between Conservation Policy and Rural Livelihoods

WHITEFISH, Mont., April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Shepherds of Wildlife Society's highly anticipated Tom Opre documentary The Real Yellowstone will make its broadcast debut Tuesday, April 21, at 9 p.m. on Wyoming PBS, with an encore presentation scheduled for April 26 at 1 p.m. Following its Wyoming premiere, the film will be distributed nationally through syndication to more than 300 PBS stations across the United States, bringing a timely and unfiltered examination of conservation, land use and the future of rural America to a national audience.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Tom Opre, founder of the Shepherds of Wildlife Society, The Real Yellowstone challenges dominant narratives about conservation in the American West by examining how modern environmental policies impact the people living closest to the land. Known for his previous films Killing the Shepherd (2021) and The Last Keeper (2024), Opre brings a global perspective to a deeply American story, reexamining conservation through the lens of human stewardship, sustainable use and the realities faced by rural communities.

"The story of the American West is being shaped by people who don't live with the consequences. On the ground, rural families and communities are paying the price. The Real Yellowstone exposes that disconnect—and what it's costing wildlife, land, and the people tied to it," said Opre.

The film provides an intimate, ground-level perspective on multigenerational ranching families, tribal voices and rural communities navigating the complex realities of modern environmental policy.

Joanna Kail, Wyoming PBS CEO stated, "The Real Yellowstone does what public television should do at its best — bring viewers into difficult, consequential conversations that too often get flattened into slogans. This film gives voice to people living with the real-world consequences of conservation policy, and we're proud to premiere it on Wyoming PBS."

Coinciding with the film's release is The Real Yellowstone: Framing the Future, a companion book authored by Opre. The book expands on the documentary's themes, offering unedited interviews, field notes and additional context gathered over the course of the film's three-year production.

"This project is about presenting the full picture, not the version often portrayed in mainstream media," Tom Opre said. "We set out to document the reality on the ground—where conservation isn't theory, it's survival."

The companion book expands the film's narrative through full interviews, field notes, and photography by Tony Bynum, offering a deeper look at drought, wildfire, wildlife conflict, and the policy decisions shaping rural communities.

Gray N. Thornton, President & CEO, Wild Sheep Foundation, states, "Montana is called the Last Best Place… The Real Yellowstone dives deep into the issues facing Montana, the West, wildlife, people, and the rural way of life. He nailed it."

Together, the film and book aim to reframe the conversation around conservation by emphasizing the human dimension often absent from public discourse.

Wyoming PBS viewers will be the first to experience the film, with national audiences gaining access through PBS syndication in the months following its debut.

For more information about The Real Yellowstone, interview requests, screening opportunities, or syndication inquiries, please contact: Adam Handelsman, (512) 363-0594, adam@specopscomm.com.

About Shepherds of Wildlife Society

Shepherds of Wildlife Society is a cinematic conservation organization using film and storytelling to examine the relationship between people, wildlife and the landscapes they share. Through documentary production and strategic media, the organization advances a model of conservation rooted in science, sustainable use and responsible stewardship—recognizing that the future of wildlife is inseparable from the well-being, dignity and livelihoods of the people who live alongside it.

For more information please visit https://shepherdsofwildlife.org

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SOURCE Shepherds of Wildlife Society