Indigenous communities embark on crucial initiative to bring balance back to prairies: 'There is a deep interconnectedness that sometimes we need to be reminded of'

There was once a time when millions of wild bison roamed the prairie lands of North America. Today, their population has dwindled to around 15,000.

Indigenous communities, for whom bison have great traditional and spiritual value, are working to restore and conserve the species' population in partnership with The Nature Conservancy.

As part of the ongoing InterTribal Buffalo Council, involving The Nature Conservancy, Tanka Fund, and Indigenous communities, select bison (sometimes called buffalo) travel to other herds across networks of preserves to Indigenous land, which are their ancestral grazing lands, The Nature Conservancy reported. This work to transfer bison back to native lands helps restore overall bison populations.

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Bison are keystone species for the grasslands. "Their presence is integral to thousands of natural relationships. Their grazing behavior and the effects they have on the prairie naturally promotes biodiversity and helps a wide range of wildflowers, plants, insects, and amphibians flourish," The Nature Conservancy reported.

For Indigenous communities, restoring bison populations is important not just ecologically but also spiritually. This connection is illustrated in a story about bison restoration from The Narwhal.

For many Indigenous nations in the plains, bison are considered relatives, having faced the same violence and displacement as Indigenous people. "There is a deep interconnectedness that sometimes we need to be reminded of, revitalize and honor. … And not just as related humans, but with everything Mother Earth provides," Montana First Nation member Kyra Northwest stated.

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Restoring bison populations in North America is a great example of the human- and nature-related benefits of conservation efforts. By conserving native flora and fauna, ecosystems stay strong, which ensures that our air, water, and land are healthy.

Another example of a successful conservation effort is in the Amazon, where the Waimiri-Atroari Indigenous people are building bridges to help native animals cross busy roads safely.

"Tribes and Native communities create the infrastructure needed to restore buffalo geographically across the country, preserving unique genetics and thousands of years of knowledge about maintaining the relationship between buffalo and their Native relatives," The Nature Conservancy wrote.