Banff Bison Cultural Report and recommendations by the Stoney Nakoda Nations.

“Since the buffalo provided us with so many essentials in our traditional life, we should not say they are expensive. The buffalo did not tell our forefathers that they were expensive to keep, so we should not say the buffalo are expensive; rather we should say they are our grandfathers. We should provide a place for them. They, too, are Natives of the Great Island.” Chief John Snow, These Mountains are our Sacred Places

Enhancing the Reintroduction of Plains Bison in Banff National Park Through Cultural Monitoring and Traditional Knowledge starts by setting an intention within ethical space for a good report and a good experience for the reader. Framing the report in this way emulates a meeting where people are invited to smudge and set an intention for the conversation about to ensue. In this way, our report is an invitation to explore and further understand the importance of weaving Traditional Knowledge with Western Science to create a more holistic understanding of the bison reintroduction in Banff National Park.

Cultural monitoring can be used to better understand bison herd dynamics, predator-prey relationships with wolves and grizzly bears, and to better describe the renewed connection to the land by the Stoney Nakoda Nations. The Report recommendations include several ways that Parks Canada and the Stoney Nakoda can work more closely together to ensure the continued success of the bison reintroduction program, as well as a way to cooperatively manage the bison herd, ensuring genetic viability, habitat effectiveness, and overall ecosystem health. Projects such as this are an integral part of Truth and Reconciliation and demonstrate how Traditional Ecological Knowledge can be woven with Western Science to define a more holistic approach to park management.

To read more about, visit this page on the Canadian Mountain Network or go to the Report here.