US to focus buffalo recovery on expanding breeding herds

DENVER (AP) — U.S. officials will work to return more large herds of bison to Native American lands, following Friday’s order from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, which urges the government to use indigenous knowledge in its efforts to conserve the large animal, which is an icon. . American West.

Haaland also announced $25 million in federal spending on bison conservation. The money raised from last year’s climate bill will be used to build new herds, move more bison from federal lands to tribal lands, and negotiate new bison management agreements with tribes, officials say.

American bison, also known as buffalo, recovered from near extinction due to commercial hunting in the 1800s. But they are still missing from most of the pastures they once occupied, and many tribes have struggled to re-establish their deep historical ties to the animals.

As many as 60 million bison once roamed North America, moving in huge herds that played a central role in the culture and survival of numerous Native American groups.

They were on the brink of extinction over a century ago when hunters, the US military and tourists shot them by the thousands to feed a growing commercial market that uses bison parts in cars, fertilizer and clothing. By 1889, only a few hundred bison remained.

Haaland, from Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, became the first Native American to serve as U.S. Cabinet Secretary. She has advocated for tribal interests on issues ranging from wildlife conservation to energy development, and brought attention to past abuses of Native Americans through a series of hearings on systemic abuses at public boarding schools.

In an interview with The Associated Press last year, she said that the extermination of bison by European settlers destroyed the main source of food for many tribes and opened the way to the seizure of their lands.

The return of bison is considered a conservation success in some places. But Haaland said they remain “functionally extinct” and more work is needed to bring the animals back to tribal lands and restore the pastures they depend on.

“This holistic effort ensures that this powerful sacred animal is reunited with its natural habitat and the original stewards who know best how to care for it,” Haaland said, announcing her order on Friday during the World Day of wildlife at the National Geographic Society. in Washington DC.

“When we think about indigenous communities, we must recognize that they have spent generations over many centuries watching the seasons, tracking wildlife migration patterns, and fully understanding our role in the delicate balance of this land,” she added.

Across the US, from New York to Oklahoma to Alaska, 82 tribes now have over 20,000 bison in 65 herds. In recent years, their numbers have been growing along with the desire of Native Americans to regain control over the animals.

The bison of many tribes came from US agencies that over the past two decades have turned thousands of animals into government-controlled sparse herds to keep them from outgrowing the land. The transfers were often made in collaboration with the Intertribal Buffalo Council in South Dakota. Team director Troy Heinert said Haaland’s order is recognition of the work the tribes have already done.

“The buffalo has as long a bond with the indigenous people as we have with it,” said Heinert, a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe. “It’s not just a number or a commodity; it is the return of a relative to his rightful place.”

Past administrations have proposed or promoted bison conservation plans, including under former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and the tribes have long been a part of this process.

Holland’s order puts Native American interests at the center of the Department of the Interior’s buffalo program. He’s also adding a tribal leader, who has yet to be named, to a group that is looking into establishing new herds on both tribal and federal lands.

The reintroduction of bison could lead to friction between the Biden administration and Montana state officials. Republican legislators have resisted the return of the animals to federal lands and opposed some previous transfers of bison to tribes.

On Thursday, state lawmakers voted to move a resolution against the reintroduction of bison into the million-acre (400,000-hectare) Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in northern Montana, an idea promoted by the Biden administration and supported by Native Americans.

“Bison were part of the culture 200-300 years ago. We’re not going back to that,” Montana Senator Mike Lang, who initiated the resolution, said. Lang said he’s not opposed to bison on tribal lands, but added that as the population grows, they can create problems for ranchers and pose a threat to public safety.

About half of the $25 million announced Friday will go to the National Park Service. The remainder will be split between the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

It includes about $1 million to set up an apprenticeship program that will train tribes to manage bison, including in national parks and national reserves, officials said.

The Department of the Interior currently oversees 11,000 buffalo herds on public lands in 12 states.

— Matthew Brown Associated Press

Content Source

California Press News – Latest News:
Los Angeles Local News || Bay Area Local News || California News || Lifestyle News || National news || Travel News || Health News

Related Articles

Back to top button