The ITBC’s work is severely underfunded, receiving only about $1.8 million annually in federal money. With those funds, it has relocated buffalo from national parks and wildlife refuges onto Tribal reservations, supported Tribes in managing their herds, and helped with fencing, watering systems, and disease management.
Now the new alliance—in partnership with the US Department of the Interior (DOI) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA)—aims to restore buffalo at an unprecedented scale. “Firstly, we’re looking at Tribal buffalo programs already operating as best they can without the resources they need,” says Moffett. “Shoring them up is our solemn obligation.”
For Tribes that want to expand existing buffalo programs or start from scratch, the collaboration can provide funds and expertise. Recognizing that buffalo restoration looks different for each Tribe, the collaboration will provide resources for trainings for herd managers, facilitate knowledge-sharing, and help acquire the necessary land—an obstacle for all Tribes. “Due to historical land theft, many don’t have the space to host a herd,” notes Moffett.
To address that challenge, the collaboration (among other groups) is exploring the idea of securing co-stewardship agreements between Tribes, the DOI, and the USDA to expand federal lands to which buffalo will have access. It’s also considering co-ownership of herds among smaller Tribes.
At the heart of these combined efforts is a larger dream: the cultural, spiritual, ecological, and economic revitalization of Native communities where buffalo were central and which disproportionately suffer from health issues, food insecurity, and poverty tied to the loss of their land and buffalo.
An additional priority is advancing the Indian Buffalo Management Act, bipartisan legislation that would create a permanent buffalo program at the DOI.