An unprecedented collaboration is restoring buffalo habitats on tribal lands while supporting Native communities that live near or alongside these iconic animals.
As The Nature Conservancy reported, this group came together with the InterTribal Buffalo Council, Native Americans in Philanthropy, and the World Wildlife Fund to create the Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration.
Buffalo (a common name for American bison) are considered crucial to the well-being and prosperity of Native communities. This collaboration is significant because it prioritizes the voices of Native people while honoring traditions and creating lasting sustainability benefits.
The new buffalo restoration and revitalization projects involve building fences, training herd managers, and promoting land access through leasing and acquisition. The projects build upon Indigenous leaders' prior buffalo rematriation efforts to bring lasting change by returning buffalo to where they belong on tribal lands, per an announcement of the collaboration.
The collaboration complements other recent buffalo projects, such as when the Blackfeet Nation released wild buffalo onto tribal lands near Montana's Glacier National Park after seven years of restoration efforts.
Meanwhile, conservationists are also working to reintroduce buffalo to their native territories in Canada.
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Restoring buffalo populations creates habitats for other animals and plants, aerates the soil, and disperses native seeds, as has been noted by the U.S. Department of the Interior. It also has the potential to help Native communities heal from injustices committed by European colonizers and repair relations between Native people and the U.S. government, per The Nature Conservancy.
"This collaboration marks a historic milestone in our journey to restore buffalo to tribal lands and revitalize Indigenous lifeways," said Erik Stegman, CEO of Native Americans in Philanthropy, per a news release from The Nature Conservancy. "By uniting our efforts, we are not only fostering ecological and cultural renewal but also ensuring that the leadership and vision of Native communities are at the forefront of this crucial work."
"The work of this partnership will be Native-led to ensure the alliance meets the immediate and long-term needs of Indigenous communities," said WWF president and CEO Carter Roberts, per the release. "Our ultimate goal is to support the vision of Native Nations to foster cultural, ecological, and economic revitalization for people and nature alike."
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