Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the effort to return wild bison to tribal lands would be stopped just as it was gaining ground. It looked like the dreams that culminated in the release of more than 60 bison from Yellowstone National Park last year on the Fort Peck Reservation would be killed.

The campaign to restore wild bison to the American prairies is still alive, thanks to the work by tribal and conservation leaders and the overwhelming public response. The National Wildlife Federation and more than 53,000 members and activists sent a clear message for the Montana legislature to call off its assault on bison. 

This spring, NWF joined tribes, other sportsmen’s and conservation groups and wildlife advocates to defeat a barrage of anti-bison bills sponsored by Montana lawmakers.  The bills that didn’t die in the Legislature were vetoed by Gov. Steve Bullock. The bills could have blocked returning the bison to its home on the plains – to tribal lands and the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. The proposals ranged from a ban on transferring wild bison anywhere in Montana except the National Bison Range to a bill that would make the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks liable for any damage to private property by wild bison. Another would have allowed county commissioners to ban restoration of wild bison in their counties, even on tribal and federal lands.

Opponents rallied at the state Capitol in Helena to protest the bills. Leaders and members from five tribes participated in a peace-pipe ceremony on a bison hide in the center of the Capitol rotunda. Tribal leaders stressed that the bills reneged on commitments made in the last legislative session and, in some cases, threatened treaty rights. “They would starve our people of a vital cultural icon,’’ said Mark Azure, Fort Belknap’s director of Fish, Wildlife and Buffalo.

One of the worst of the anti-bison bills was killed after thousands of you responded to appeals from NWF. The bill by State Senator John Brenden would have changed bison hunting regulations, allowed private landowners to shoot bison if they wandered onto their land, and prohibited the relocation of bison anywhere in the state, including the transfer of bison from Fort Peck to Fort Belknap as previously agreed upon by the tribes. Brenden recently remarked, “Why do you want to spread this creeping cancer, these woolly tanks, around the state of Montana?” This type of anti-wildlife rhetoric was also seen in House Bill 396, vetoed by Montana Governor Steve Bullock, that would have required county commissioner approval before any bison were relocated. Clearly, many more people see bison as an important wildlife species to be preserved and recognize their value to grassland ecosystems and other wildlife.

Governor Bullock vetoed the two remaining bison bills. Senate Bill 305 would have prohibited using bison that have ever been privately owned for restoration to other lands. Senate Bill 256 would have made Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks liable for any damages resulting from wild bison that had been relocated or released.

The work will continue until bison return home – to tribal and public lands.

Last March marked a historic step forward in the campaign to restore wild bison when Yellowstone bison were released on the Fort Peck Reservation in eastern Montana.

Tribal members from Fort Peck and Fort Belknap, NWF staff, conservationists, and their supporters braved a cold, snowy night to watch as the animals bolted out of the trailers that had carried them 500 miles to their new home. It was a huge milestone in efforts to restore bison to the wild. The bison is the one large mammal driven to near extinction that hasn’t been re-established on the Western landscape.

Last year’s bison release on Fort Peck followed two decades of work by the tribes, conservation groups, and state and federal officials. The Yellowstone bison’s genetics date to an era when millions of bison roamed North America and were fundamental to Plains Indians’ physical, cultural and spiritual nourishment.

Yellowstone bison are special to the tribes because they are the last wild, free-ranging herd. For years, the tribes, NWF and other groups have urged that bison wandering out of  Yellowstone be transferred to tribal and federal lands rather than be gunned down because of fears they’ll spread the disease brucellosis to cattle. The disease can cause pregnant animals to abort, but there have been no confirmed cases of bison transmitting brucellosis to cattle. Bison transferred from Yellowstone have been quarantined and are brucellosis-free.

NWF members and activists, and our tribal and conservation partners, stood up for bison, and the Montana legislature and Governor Bullock listened. With a swipe of his pen, Bullock demonstrated that he agrees with NWF that bison belong on Montana public and tribal lands, along with all the other wildlife that are crucial elements of the ecosystem, our heritage and culture.

TOGETHER, we killed the bad bills, and now bison have a new future in Montana. Join us as we continue to work with tribes to restore bison and find new homes for the bison on public lands.

The Great Plains spread eastward from the foothills of Wyoming (Photo by Sarah Pizzo)

Jason explains that the plants, animals and humans of the American prairie have been evolving together for millennia. Bison were an integral part of the prairie ecosystem: their hooves broke up the soil so seeds could germinate and their wallows – the depressions left when they rolled in the dirt – gathered rain which fed medicinal plants.

The lives of Native Americans were also inextricably tied to the bison. They followed the herds across the plains, relying on the great creatures for food, shelter and tools. They worshipped bison, performing religious ceremonies to promote its abundance and express gratitude for its ultimate sacrifice to them in the hunt.

The U.S. Army recognized this reliance in the late 19th century, when the westward movement of miners and homesteaders led to clashes with the resident Sioux, Cheyenne, Shoshone, and Arapaho. To defeat the tribes and clear the way for “Manifest Destiny,” the U.S. Army used the following tactic: eliminate the tribes’ main food source.

A herd of wild bison approach the author’s car in Yellowstone National Park (Photo by Sarah Pizzo)

NWF has been working for two decades to transfer some of these Yellowstone bison – whose numbers now overwhelm the Park’s capacity – back to their native lands. Our first major victory came last spring when we helped the Fort Peck Tribes move 61 Yellowstone bison to their reservation in northeast Montana. The tribes are thrilled to have these “tatanka” home. The bison and their 21 new calves are enjoying thousands of acres of wild prairie.

Today, NWF is working with Jason and other members of the Shoshone and Arapaho tribes to move a herd of Yellowstone bison to the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. A group of bison awaits transfer on a Montana ranch. The land and the tribes are ready to receive them. Standing in the way is a complex web of legal and political hurdles that we are working to overcome.

Late in the day on my visit to Yellowstone, I came upon a lone buffalo walking the center line of the Park’s loop road. I pulled to the shoulder to give him space to pass and he paused long enough to make eye contact. I stared with a sense of wonder and respect. His return gaze was fearless and unconcerned. And at that moment I knew: we are beginning to restore the balance.

A Yellowstone bison wanders along the Park road (Photo by Sarah Pizzo)

Tribes Welcome Home Yellowstone Bison

March 21 – After more than a century’s absence, wild, genetically pure bison have returned to tribal lands on the Great Plains in a homecoming that reunites Native Americans with the iconic species that was a fundamental part of their culture and the prairie ecosystem.

Sixty-three bison from Yellowstone National Park were trucked 500 miles to Fort Peck in Montana’s far northeastern corner. Tribal members from Fort Peck and Fort Belknap hosted Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and representatives of the National Wildlife Federation and Defenders of Wildlife at the animals’ arrival Wednesday.

Celebrate EXTRA-Ordinary Wildlife During National Wildlife Week, March 19-25, 2012

March 19 – What do the bull shark, wood frog, rhinoceros beetle and pronghorn have in common? They all perform some amazing feats which is why they were selected to be featured during National Wildlife Week, March 19-25. The theme for the week this year is EXTRA-Ordinary Wildlife and will celebrate wildlife and their incredible talents.

Since 1938, National Wildlife Week has been a time to learn about wildlife and nature. This year, children, youth and adults are taking time to explore wildlife through five different lenses (innovative defenses, record breakers, super senses, survive in unusual habitats, and special adaptation). Forty-five wildlife species including plants will be highlighted. The bull shark for example can survive in both fresh and salt water. The wood frog freezes during the winter, then thaws in the spring to mate. The rhinoceros beetle can support 850 times its body weight. The pronghorn is the fastest U.S. mammal, clocking over fifty miles per hour.

Global Climate Change Will Increase Anxiety, Fear and Depression

March 22 – The impact of global climate change on Americans’ mental health has been largely ignored, even though the incidence of mental and social disorders will rise steeply if climate change is not curtailed, adding significant costs to the already $317 billion in annual mental health care expenditures and lost productivity in the U.S., concludes a major new study. “The greatest public costs could come from ignoring the effects,” the report concludes.

Because extreme weather events and disasters will be more severe and more frequent, the U. S. will see a rise in illnesses like depressive and anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, suicide and violence.

New Guide Helps Parents Overcome Obstacles to Getting Kids Outdoors

March 20 – Spring has sprung but how many kids have noticed? Many may be glued to video games or too busy tweeting to go outside and hear a real tweet. In addition to the lure of electronic gadgets, the great outdoors has lots of competition when it comes to kids. To help parents incorporate more “green time” into their children’s lives National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement has created “Outdoor Play for Every Day: A Parent’s Guide for Overcoming Common Obstacles to Kids and Outdoor Play”.

Most parents intuitively understand that spending time outdoors is good for their kids: it makes them grow lean and strong, enhances imaginations, and gives them time to let off steam and just be a kid.

President Obama’s Dangerous Wrong Turn on Energy

March 22 – Speaking on energy policy yesterday, President Obama said, “You have my word that we will keep drilling everywhere we can, and we will do it while protecting the health and safety of the American people.” Today he heads to Cushing, OK, site of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline’s southern leg, where he will announce efforts to rush its review, and those of future pipelines. A thorough review process is critical for protecting clean water from flawed oil projects.

The new emphasis on rushing oil companies’ projects comes on the heels of devastating oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, Yellowstone River, and the Kalamazoo River. A 2010 NWF report found thousands of spills on and offshore have occurred over the last decade, with Oklahoma ranking seventh for most pipeline spills.

New Report: Strong Farm Bill Key to Great Lakes Restoration

March 21 – In a new report issued today, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is urging federal public officials to strengthen and support successful farm conservation programs that are vital to restoring the health of the Great Lakes. Read the full report here (PDF).

“Farm conservation programs are essential for Great Lakes restoration,” said Jeff Skelding, campaign director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “Farm conservation programs are producing results, but there is more work to do. Cutting support for these successful programs now will cause problems to get worse and more costly to solve.”

NWF Supports New Federal Wind-Wildlife Guidelines

March 23 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released the final version of its Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines to assist federal agencies, wind energy developers, and the public in avoiding and minimizing impact on wildlife and habitat when locating, designing and operating wind energy projects. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) applauds the Service, who developed the voluntary guidelines from the consensus recommendations of a Federal Advisory Committee composed of wildlife organizations, state and federal wildlife managers, wildlife scientists, and wind energy developers.

“Climate change poses an enormous threat to both the human environment and the earth’s biologic diversity, and for that reason, National Wildlife Federation is pursuing a rapid and responsible transition to clean energy,” says Justin Allegro, manager of the Renewable Energy and Wildlife Program at NWF. “However, poorly planned and designed wind energy activities can have significant adverse impacts to wildlife and habitats. This crucial framework will help lead to wind energy projects that wildlife advocates can feel good about in the short term, and avoid the types of bad projects that impede the growth of needed new energy solutions in the long term.”

Gulf Ads Thank Gulf Senators for Passing Gulf Restoration Amendment

March 23 – Five Gulf state newspapers will run full-page color ads starting today thanking the nine Gulf senators who recently voted in favor of legislation to dedicate 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines from the parties responsible for the Gulf oil spill to restoring the Gulf ecosystem and economy.

The ads features a “thank you” from 62 Gulf businesses, business groups and restoration advocacy groups to the nine Gulf senators who “led an overwhelmingly bipartisan group of 76 senators to pass the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act [to] help repair and strengthen the communities, businesses and environment…still suffering nearly two years after the unprecedented Gulf oil disaster.”

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Television: Naturalist David Mizejewski was on the Today show live with 2 gray wolves as well as 17 TV outlets, via live satellite talking about how gray wolves are being poisoned in Alberta in a misguided plan to protect woodland caribou from energy development. 12.2 million views saw him on Today alone.David and Dr. Doug Inkley have or soon will be heard on 32 radio stations around the country commenting on this unfolding tragedy. They were interviewed by the following stations:
  • WISH-TV, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
  • KUSA/KDVR-TV, DENVER, CO
  • REUTERS TV, NATIONAL
  • WJBK-TV, DETROIT, MI
  • WHAM-TV, ROCHESTER, NY
  • WTVC-TV, CHATTANOOGA, TN
  • KOB-TV, ALBUQUERQUE, NM
  • WYAM-TV, REGIONAL – ALABAMA
  • WXIA-TV, ATLANTA, GA
  • WRAL-TV, RALEIGH-DURHAM, NC
  • WSET-TV, ROANOKE, VA
  • LIFESCRIPT TV, NATIONAL
  • KGUN-TV, TUCSON, AZ
  • WXYZ-TV, DETROIT, MI
  • FOXNEWS.COM, NATIONAL
  • KCTU-TV, WICHTIA, KS
  • XETV, SAN DIEGO, CA
• Radio: Board member, Dr. Lise Van Susteren was our spokesperson in a day long radio tour about NWF’s new report on the psychological toll climate change will have on Americans. These interviews reached millions with this warning and what they can do to fight and prepare for climate change. Dr. Van Susteren was interviewed by the following outlets:
  • POLNET RADIO NETWORK, NATIONAL
  • WTBQ-AM, NEW YORK
  • WHCR-FM, NEW YORK
  • METRO NETWORKS, SEATTLE (SYNDICATED)
  • WICH-AM, HARTFORD
  • NORTHERN NEWS NETWORK, MONTANA (STATEWIDE)
  • WAMV-AM, ROANOKE
  • WALR-FM, ATLANTA
  • USA RADIO, NATIONAL
  • KMA-AM, OMAHA
  • WFIN-AM, TOLEDO
  • WJSS-AM, BALTIMORE
  • WXBR-AM, BOSTON
  • WOCA-AM, ORLANDO
  • WSRB-FM, CHICAGO
  • WDIS-AM, BOSTON
  • KPQ-AM, SEATTLE
  • WCHE-AM, PHILADELPHIA
• 9.9 million viewers saw the story of the reintroduction of pure blood bison on to tribal lands in a story from NBC Nightly News. President Larry Schweiger commented for the report on this great NWF success. News of the bison’s return also ran a total 50 times on other regional TV stations.
• Director of the National Advocacy Center, Adam Kolton was seen on 26 NBC stations nationwide as well as the #2 national newscast in Canada commenting on President Obama’s energy speech.
• Marc Smith was on the radio tour in Minnesota and Wisconsin talking about the latest capture of invasive Asian Carp. He was heard in 5 markets including the #1 wacky rock’in morning show in the Twin Cities.
• The Denver Post (op-ed): Guest Commentary: Appreciating wild creatures during National Wildlife Week
• Public News Service (OH): Pain at the Pump? New Fuel Standards Could Ease the Burden
• Reuters: At Oklahoma oil hub, Obama pledges to speed part of pipeline
• The Washington Post: Stink bugs migrating to the Deep South

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News