NORTHERN PRAIRIES LAND TRUST PLAYS KEY ROLE IN EXPANDING BISON RANGE IN BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK
As the result of a complex land exchange in which Northern Prairie played a key role, 30,000 additional acres of bison range has been added in Badlands National Park, allowing for the expansion of the bison herd to about 1,000 head – the size recommended as a minimum for maintaining genetic diversity. The exchange has been described as one of the most important events in Park history, and a huge step forward in protecting native grasslands species of all kinds.
On June 11, John Davidson, President of Northern Prairies, joined with other conservation partners and the National Park Service in a formal “fence-cutting” ceremony, celebrating the opening of the new lands to the roaming bison herd. Photos of the ceremony are shown here.
The project is just one of the many through which Northern Prairies plays a quiet but critical role in advancing prairie conservation.