NPS / Jacob W Frank
Inflation Reduction Act
Recovery | FY23-31 $3,375,000
The Department of the Interior (DOI) Bison Working Group, chaired by the National Park Service, will implement actions guided by the 2020 Bison Conservation Initiative (BCI). Actions include completing and implementing a metapopulation management plan and conducting tribal consultations and state coordination to create a joint management plan. In addition, the BCI Bison Working Group will initiate a centralized database and genetic sample archiving strategy and capacity. As a result of this project, DOI will increase herd numbers, create new herds, and advance bison conservation.
Why? There were once 30 million bison distributed throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Hunting drove them to near extinction, and by the 1870s only a few hundred remained. The Department of the Interior sees itself as a leader and partner in ensuring the conservation and reintroduction of American bison into the wild.
What else? This project advances two of the five BCI goals: 1) Wild, healthy bison herds – protecting bison as wildlife and 2) Collaborative management with states, tribes, and other stakeholders is essential to address the scale, complexity, and ecological and cultural importance of bison conservation and restoration.
