Photo: The Canadian Press
The bison are seen in Banff National Park in Alberta
A report led by the local population said that reading traditional knowledge could help ensure the success of bison that have been reintroduced into Banff National Park.
In 2017, Parks Canada released 16 bison in the northeastern Alberta Park as part of a five-year pilot project. Since then, the herd has grown to more than 60 animals, circling more than 1,200 square kilometers from the back of the park.
Banff biologists are watching the re-introduction affect the environment, but the nearby Stoney Nakoda Nation decided it was also important to make a cultural assessment.
“We are dealing with a culturally important species within the traditional Stoney lands and this is a big part that is missing in the reporting that is happening,” said Bill Snow of the Stoney administration in an interview Friday.
The report was published earlier this month. It was funded by the Canadian Mountain Network, a non-profit organization that supports research on the resilience and health of people and places in the mountains of Canada.
Snow, a lead researcher, said a team at Stoney Nakoda Nation has worked with elders, custodians and young people to better understand the habitat, behavior and practices of bison from an indigenous perspective.
“It was not just a learning process for bison, it was a learning process for ourselves as indigenous people returning and returning to traditional lands,” he said. “Being able to travel and experience some of these areas is really important … for our own cultural well-being.”
Snow said this has helped Stoney Nakoda reconnect with their traditional lands, migration routes, campsites and hunting and gathering areas within the Mînî Rhpa Mâkoche, now known as Banff National Park.
The report, which was shared with park officials, includes 11 recommendations to ensure the continued success of reintroduction and for the joint management of the buffalo herd.
Proposals include continuing the program after the pilot project is completed, holding a ceremony with the First Nations at the beginning of each new phase and allowing work in the field of cultural observation to continue. They are also pushing to expand the reintroduction zone to include the rest of the park and allow the first nations to gather animals once the herd becomes too large.
The project is to be reviewed this year.
Wild bison disappeared from Banff National Park before it was established in 1885. They were reintroduced to determine if bison could be a long-term device in the park.
Parks Canada said in a statement that it recognizes the link between indigenous culture and bison.
“During the project, indigenous peoples shared their traditional knowledge of plain bison and participated in governance, governance and celebration opportunities,” the statement said. “Parks Canada also collaborates with local communities and organizations in a variety of land conservation activities.
The statement said Parks Canada supported the Stoney Nakoda study and would address it in the final report of the pilot project.
“The results of all commitments have and will help to make future decisions on the long-term feasibility of managing wild buffalo herds in Banff National Park.”
The Stoney Nakoda report notes that projects such as the reintroduction of buffalo are an important part of truth and reconciliation. It is suggested that traditional environmental knowledge can be used in conjunction with Western science for a more holistic approach to park management.
“At the end of the day, we’re not just writing a report to write a report,” Snow said. “We want to change the way bison is managed.”
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