Biology Week 7: Restoring the America Bison
"The American Buffalo...has always held great meaning to the American Indian people. The Indian People, buffalo represent their spirit and remind them of how their lives were once lived, free and in harmony with nature." -National Bison Cooperative
The Bison in Golden Gate park, as they lay massive and docile, seem incredibly out of place in the midst of this ocean kissed landmark. How easily we forget that long before human domination, millions of these stoic beasts roamed North America, maintaining a symbiotic relationship with the lush vegetation. As migratory herbivores, bison graze just enough for the grass to regenerate, helping prevent overgrowth and soil crowding. These creatures appear to have been incredibly beneficial to the ecosystems they inhabited, which generally includes wide open plaines and prairies.
Today, approximately 80,000 Bison remain in North America, a dramatic decrease from the millions of later day, but an improvement from their near extinction in the early 1900. The evolution of the Bison is both literally and symbolically connected to the cultural impacts of humans. The Native Americans Tribes lived in Harmony with the Bison during the pre-colonial times. As their primary food source, they killed only what they needed and used the entire animal from "hair to bones." The bison provided food, tools, shelter, weapons and clothing and their spirits were incorporated into religious worship. This precious resource was respected and never taken for grated.
Unfortunately, in the late 1800's as white settlers began to aggressively take over native land, the bison were slaughtered to deprive Native Americans of their most important survival resource, ultimately forcing them out of their homes. Bison were later killed for sport, becoming an icon of the American West. "Buffalo" Bill Cody, a hired Bison killer, took out 4,000 alone. It was a true massacre of over 60 Million Bison, leading to a near extinction. With the loss of the Bison not only changed the human population, but the landscape, particularly in the great planes.
Today, several organizations have set out to reintroduce the Bison to heal the land and its people. Many of these movements are run by Native American tribe collectives, as they are symbol of strength and powerful icon of their ancestors. Among these is the Intertribal Bison Cooperative, a collective of 42 Native tribes from South Dakota to New Mexico and a combined herd of over 8,000 bison. These initiatives highlight the winsome of tribal ancestors in regards to living in harmony with nature. The Bison Project of Wilmington Illinois has set out to "heal the land" by reintroducing Bison to the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. The goal is for the Bison to restore the vegetation and with it bring back various species of birds and insects. If all goes as planned, this prairie will theoretically resemble itself 200 the younger.
The Bison project's initiative is beautifully ambitious, even if the intentions are primarily to drawn in people and money. Exploring the nature in which the Bison left and the world they are returning to will have an impact on the recreation of the "good old days." First of all, the majority of humans do not live on the land, nor do they have the mentality of taking only what is needed. Money and personal gain seems is commonly prioritized over respect of the animals and ecosystems. However, if it takes the motivation of tourism to restore the planes, then it may be the best viable option. Particularly since the Bison project is using tourism to educate humans and bridge the gap between humans and wildlife. Learning about the rich history of the Bison grants us insight as to where humans have gone wrong. Ideally, such educational initiatives will increase the likelihood that future generations will make better choices when it comes to environmental respect and preservation and though it is a long shot, trying is better then continuing on with the destructive status quo.
References:
http://www.intertribalbison.org/default.asp
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/buffalo/strength.html
http://wgntv.com/2017/06/15/bison-project-in-wilmington-illinois/
The Bison in Golden Gate park, as they lay massive and docile, seem incredibly out of place in the midst of this ocean kissed landmark. How easily we forget that long before human domination, millions of these stoic beasts roamed North America, maintaining a symbiotic relationship with the lush vegetation. As migratory herbivores, bison graze just enough for the grass to regenerate, helping prevent overgrowth and soil crowding. These creatures appear to have been incredibly beneficial to the ecosystems they inhabited, which generally includes wide open plaines and prairies.
Today, approximately 80,000 Bison remain in North America, a dramatic decrease from the millions of later day, but an improvement from their near extinction in the early 1900. The evolution of the Bison is both literally and symbolically connected to the cultural impacts of humans. The Native Americans Tribes lived in Harmony with the Bison during the pre-colonial times. As their primary food source, they killed only what they needed and used the entire animal from "hair to bones." The bison provided food, tools, shelter, weapons and clothing and their spirits were incorporated into religious worship. This precious resource was respected and never taken for grated.
Unfortunately, in the late 1800's as white settlers began to aggressively take over native land, the bison were slaughtered to deprive Native Americans of their most important survival resource, ultimately forcing them out of their homes. Bison were later killed for sport, becoming an icon of the American West. "Buffalo" Bill Cody, a hired Bison killer, took out 4,000 alone. It was a true massacre of over 60 Million Bison, leading to a near extinction. With the loss of the Bison not only changed the human population, but the landscape, particularly in the great planes.
Today, several organizations have set out to reintroduce the Bison to heal the land and its people. Many of these movements are run by Native American tribe collectives, as they are symbol of strength and powerful icon of their ancestors. Among these is the Intertribal Bison Cooperative, a collective of 42 Native tribes from South Dakota to New Mexico and a combined herd of over 8,000 bison. These initiatives highlight the winsome of tribal ancestors in regards to living in harmony with nature. The Bison Project of Wilmington Illinois has set out to "heal the land" by reintroducing Bison to the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. The goal is for the Bison to restore the vegetation and with it bring back various species of birds and insects. If all goes as planned, this prairie will theoretically resemble itself 200 the younger.
The Bison project's initiative is beautifully ambitious, even if the intentions are primarily to drawn in people and money. Exploring the nature in which the Bison left and the world they are returning to will have an impact on the recreation of the "good old days." First of all, the majority of humans do not live on the land, nor do they have the mentality of taking only what is needed. Money and personal gain seems is commonly prioritized over respect of the animals and ecosystems. However, if it takes the motivation of tourism to restore the planes, then it may be the best viable option. Particularly since the Bison project is using tourism to educate humans and bridge the gap between humans and wildlife. Learning about the rich history of the Bison grants us insight as to where humans have gone wrong. Ideally, such educational initiatives will increase the likelihood that future generations will make better choices when it comes to environmental respect and preservation and though it is a long shot, trying is better then continuing on with the destructive status quo.
References:
http://www.intertribalbison.org/default.asp
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/buffalo/strength.html
http://wgntv.com/2017/06/15/bison-project-in-wilmington-illinois/
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