"A Tribal-led Nonprofit Is Creating A Network Of Native Bison Ranchers That Are Restoring Ecosystems

Bison Ranchers Return Thousands of Animals to Native Lands and Witness Total Rejuvenation of Ecosystem
Good News Network
The return of the bison means the return of the prairie, one of the three great grassland ecosystems on the planet.

"A tribal-led nonprofit is creating a network of native bison ranchers that are restoring ecosystems on the Great Plains, restoring native ranchers’ connections with their ancestral land, and restoring the native diet that their ancestors relied on.

Called the Tanka Fund, they coordinate donors and partners to help ranchers secure grazing land access, funds needed to install and repair fencing, increase their herd sizes, and access markets for bison meat across the country.

That’s the human part of the story. But as Dawn Sherman, executive director of the Tanka Fund, told Native Sun News, they’re “buffalo people” and these four-legged, 2,000 lbs. “cousins” are equal-part-protagonists.

The return of the bison means the return of the prairie, one of the three great grassland ecosystems on the planet, of which just 1% remains as it was when the Mayflower arrived.

“Bringing buffalo back to their ancestral homelands is essential to restoring the ecosystem. We know that the buffalo is a keystone species,” said Dawn Sherman, a member of the Lakota, Delaware, Shawnee, and Cree.

“Bringing the buffalo back to the land and to our people, helps restore the ecosystem and everything it supports from the animals to the plants to the people. It’s come full circle. That’s how we see it.”

As Sherman and the Tanka Fund help native ranchers grow their operations, everyone is well aware of the power of the bison to transform the environment: just as nations across Europe are, who are reintroducing wood bison to various ecosystems, for all the same reasons.

Sherman points out the variety of ways in which buffalo anchor the prairie ecosystem. The almost-extinct black-footed ferret, she points out, lived symbiotically with the bison, and with the latter gone, the former followed—nearly.

The long-billed curlew uses bison dung as a disguise to hide nests from predators. Deer, pronghorn antelope, and elk all rely on bison to plow through deep snows and uncover the grasses that these smaller animals can’t reach.

Everywhere the bison hurls its massive body, life springs in the beast’s wake. When bison roll about on the plains, it creates depressions known as wallows. These fill with rainwater and create enormous puddles where amphibians and insects thrive and reproduce. Certain plants evolved to grow in the wet conditions of the wallows which Native Americans harvested for food and medicine.

Native plants evolved under the trampling hooves of millions of bison, and that constant tamping down of the Earth is a key necessity in the spreading of native wildflower seed.

Indeed, Sherman says some of these native ranchers are bringing bison onto lands still visibly affected by the Dust Bowl, and already the animals are acting like a giant wooly cure-all for the land’s ills.

Since 2020, the Tanka Fund, in partnership with the Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council and the Nature Conservancy, has overseen the transfer of 2,300 bison from Nature Conservancy reserves to lands managed by ranchers within the Tanka Fund network.

“[T]he more animals that we can get the more of that prairie we can restore,” said Sherman. “We can help restore the land that has been plowed and has been leased out to cattle ranchers.”"

-Article via Good News Network, February 13, 2025. Video via Tanka Fund, July 17, 2024.

More Posts from Ghost-birb and Others

4 months ago
Hello, I’ts Nour From Gaza,

Hello, I’ts Nour from Gaza,

My family shattered between northern and southern Gaza after my husband was forced to leave us and return to the north on foot🚶

He told me: "The journey was long and tough, but I felt like my heart was carrying me, not my foot"

Hello, I’ts Nour From Gaza,

The devastation in the north is beyond words, The place is practically uninhabitable, but sadly, our family have no other choice 💔

We are looking for a spot to fix it up and settle, hoping to reunite soon

I urgently need your genuine support, the costs of rent and repairs are overwhelming, but together, we can find a way to reunite 🕊️

Whether you contribute through donations to reunite my family or simply share this message to reach others who can help, every action matters 🙏🏻

Thank you for standing by us 🕊️

🌟 Our campaign is vetted by 🇵🇸 @/gazavetters List at #291

Donate to Help my family rise from the ashes, organised by Tahir Awad
gofundme.com
Hello Everyone, I am Nour Al Madhoun, 30 years old, a computer engineer from gaza, my h… Tahir Awad needs your support for Help my family r
5 months ago

sometimes you need dialogue tags and don't want to use the same four

A colour wheel divided into sections with dialogue tags fitting the categories 'complains', 'agrees', 'cries', 'whines', 'shouts', and 'cheers'
A colour wheel divided into sections with dialogue tags fitting the categories 'asks', 'responds', 'states', 'whispers', 'argues', and 'thinks'

Tags
8 months ago

I'm always going to be an stalwart defender of both high art and complete trash. I also personally think that the best way to really open yourself up to the highs of the former is to be open to the guiltless pleasures of the latter.

4 months ago

Hey guys. Since my last post about Mona's mutual aid project, she's completed many initiatives with the donations! Her latest one was the distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables, something that is now possible with the entry of aid trucks! Please do not hesitate to donate if you can spare anything! Every single dollar counts. P*ypal link.

G*f*ndme for the distribution of basic necessities in Ghazzah.

G*f*ndme to help Mona and her family.

G*f*ndme to help Mona's sister and niece.

(If you live in India or Pakistan and want to donate, contact her through the means listed on her account).

4 months ago

i saw a video the other day detailing why we see so much about gaza🇵🇸 but not sudan🇸🇩

it comes down to these 3 key differences

while gaza is much bloodier, gaza has journalists reporting daily. as a journalist you will be targeted viciously but it's a delayed risk because the enemy isn't on ground. your enemies are cowards who plot and kill you from afar.

in sudan it's impossible to report anything because the enemy is walking down your street (if not in your house) like rabid dogs. you will be shot on sight. it's an immediate risk. there is no time to capture or comment on anything. whatever information you put out will be your first and last.

in sudan, the updates come from the warring factions filming themselves, not from civilians. and you can imagine the bias and inaccuracy of their egotistical daily vlogs and official statements.

which is why it's more imperative than ever to follow Sudanese creators and journalists who do report on the little information that does come out.

here's a post on where to get daily updates about Sudan

disclaimer: palestinian press also deal with immediate risks when confronted with IDF on-ground.

2 weeks ago

the fucking budget bill of hell passed the house that removes HRT from medicare, general medicare spending cuts, student financial aid cuts, and oh yeah lets the teump regime ignore court orders even harder and lets for even harder executive overreach. they did this shit at motherfucking 2 am so people wouldn’t notice too

The Fucking Budget Bill Of Hell Passed The House That Removes HRT From Medicare, General Medicare Spending
The Fucking Budget Bill Of Hell Passed The House That Removes HRT From Medicare, General Medicare Spending

it passed house like i said but still needs to pass senate.

tell your senators to invoke byrd rule which is a goddamn real thing apparently

call your goddamn senators i swear to god

and if you’re in DC there’s a protest going on as we speak

The Fucking Budget Bill Of Hell Passed The House That Removes HRT From Medicare, General Medicare Spending

go do your civic duty you piece of shit

3 months ago

Hello all today i will tell you my whole story about my life and i hope you read it to the end.. 🙏🏻🍉donation link down..

Im Alaa Alseer from Gaza im 20years old and i have 2Siblings and i was so good with my study and want to be a good student but....

What was not expected was the arrival of an unexpected and powerful war...

Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation
Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation

Thats me before the war and i did not expect a war to come that would do all this to us and destroy my house, my father’s car, and everything

Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation
Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation

And with all this big load!!. My father suffered a severe injury, and I was the eldest among my brothers, my father was injured, and my mother had a heart disease. This was a great responsibility to carry.

Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation
Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation

After our house was destroyed, no one helped us, not even to build a tent...So I built a tent myself so that we could shelter me and my family, even if only for a little while...even if I was not accustomed to building anything or doing harsh work, but I had to do so to help my family.

Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation
Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation
Hello All Today I Will Tell You My Whole Story About My Life And I Hope You Read It To The End.. 🙏🏻🍉donation

Even if this tent is not sufficient to protect against the coming cold and rain, it is the only way not to sleep in the street 💔💔🍉

So i make this account so i can get help for me and my family.. So that I can collect the costs of living for my family and my travel costs to study abroad 🙏🏻🍉..

even 20$ can help me.. Share or donate anything can help me and my family also

https://gofund.me/c7cef174

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters , my number verified on the list is ( #262 )✅️

@90-ghost @el-sabroso @nabulsi27 @sar-soor @sayruq @queerstudiesnatural @appsa @communist-hatsunemiku @fairuzfai-blog @neptunerings @just-browsings-world @appsa @akajustmerry @feluka @marnosc @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @tortiefrancis @flower-tea-fairies @tsaricides @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @vivisection-gf @belleandsaintsebastian @ear-motif @animentality @kordeliiius @brutaliakent @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @violetlyric-blog @the-bastard-king @tamaytka @4ft10tvlandfangirl @northgazaupdates2 @skatehan @awetistic-things @nightowlssleep @baby-girl-aaron-dessner @friendshapedplant @mangocheesecakes @commissions4aid-international

@rwuffles @mogai-sunflowers

2 months ago

We will not forgive ..

We will not pardon 🙂‍↕️🙌🏻

"We are alone" ‼️

We Will Not Forgive ..

"Every night, My brothers and sisters, my sick parents, and I sleep in fear, praying that it won’t be our last night alive. We live with constant terror, and all we wish for now is to survive and find safety. Please, we are begging you—help us with any amount, even the smallest, so we can escape this nightmare and find a place where we can live in peace."❤️‍🩹

Donation link 🫰🏻

Donate to Help Nada's family survive purposeful unimaginable struggle, organized by Michael Bushnell
gofundme.com
Help my family to overcome our plight under the difficult cir… Michael Bushnell needs your support for Help Nada's family survive purposeful
3 months ago

Because of You, We Still Have Hope 💙🙏

There are moments when it feels like the world has moved on, like everything we’ve lost is just another story that people scroll past. But every now and then, kindness reminds us that we are not forgotten.

Today, we’ve reached $1,580 out of $90,000, and while it’s still a long way from what we need, it’s proof that people still care. That hope still exists.

I never thought I would be in a position where I had to ask for help just to survive. 25 members of my family are gone. Our home has been reduced to rubble. Every day is a fight—not just for survival, but to hold onto the smallest piece of dignity.

💔 No stability, no safety, no certainty. 💔 Evacuations, grief, and endless struggles. 💔 Dreams on hold, because survival comes first.

But through all of this, your kindness gives me strength.

Even if you can’t donate, just sharing this post helps us reach more people who might be able to. Your support—no matter how small—makes all the difference.

Donate to Help Mosab saving who's left of his family
Chuffed
My name is Mosab Elderawi, and I am a survivor of the war in Gaza. Life as I knew it has been completely destroyed. I have lost my home, my

🙏 If this post has reached you unexpectedly, I truly apologize. I promise I wouldn’t be asking if we weren’t in desperate need. If this isn’t for you, please feel free to ignore it. No hard feelings at all.

✅️ Vetted by ✅️

@bilal-salah0

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Your kindness is the only reason we still have hope. ❤️

4 months ago

cruelty is so easy. youre not special for choosing it

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ghost-birb - Ghost-Birb
Ghost-Birb

21| they/he | ace | perpetually tired | I like Ghosts more than birds sorry bird fans |

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