Conservation Committee Seeks Comments
on Proposed Guidelines
Over the past 18 months, a group of private bison ranchers, industry experts, bison researchers, and conservationists
concerned with bison have met to discuss several key issues related to the long
term conservation of bison.
According to the report, the central goal for the guidelines is
that they lead to better management practices and conservation goals by bison managers in North America. The guidelines can also act as a stimulus and mechanism to create greater awareness of
and initiate dialogue on issues concerning the need to conserve and maintain the genetic integrity and wild characteristics of bison
while maintaining the economic viability of bison ranching
enterprises.
CBA members can download the draft guidelines here. Comments
on the proposed guidelines can be submitted until April 28 to the following email address cba2@sasktel.net.
The Bison Conservation Working Group began meeting in late 2009
with the goal of establishing a series of principles that would
help bison managers manage their herds to achieve conservation outcomes for the species and the ecosystem.. The working group
is comprised of the following industry representatives:
- Bruce Anderson, Bison Owner and Processor
- John Flocchini, Durham Ranch
- Steve Forrest, World Wildlife Fund-US
- Alejandro Grajal, Chicago Zoological Society
- Duane Lammers, Wildlife Biologist and Bison Consultant
- Chad Kremer, Bison Herd Manager Custer State Park and independent bison rancher, Kremer Buffalo Company
- Thomas LeFaive, Turner Ranches
- Dawn Montanye, World Wildlife Fund-US
- Dan O'Brien, Wild Idea Buffalo
- Kevin Ogorzalek, World Wildlife Fund-US
- Tom Olson, Conservation Committee Chair, Canadian Bison Association
- Shane Sarver, PhD, Black Hills State University
- Jim Stone, Inter Tribal Bison Council
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