Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative

Our project will kickstart ecological monitoring on both privately owned buffalo habitat and expand onto Tribal land through the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative. Our project will also support WRTBI operations tied to the Science Department.

This grant will support the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative’s fee simple acquisition of a parcel within the boundaries of the Wind River Reservation adjacent to Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative’s property. This land will support expansion of Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative’s buffalo pasture.

Our project would resolve community concerns regarding Brucellosis within the elk herds around Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative at the same time deploy GPS tracking collars or ear tags on the elk to increase the understanding of elk movements along the Wind River.

This project will support the planning, reimagining, and implementation of conservation easements to perpetually protect the culturally significant buffalo habitat within and adjacent to the Wind River Indian Reservation, while strengthening land sovereignty for the respective tribal communities.

Our project will support the current conservation herd’s skilled workers in buffalo wildlife management and allow for the retention of Indigenous staff for the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative.

WRTBI's Buffalo Biodiversity Crediting Program will support the planning and development of our bio crediting program, which will increase economic, environmental, and community health, along with diversifying our funding streams for the nonprofit.

Our project will support the development of financial record-keeping and grant management systems at WRTBI, ensuring a sustainable land-rematriation initiative can be formalized to help both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Buffalo restoration programs.

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This project is restoring the conservation of Buffalo for the Wind River Reservation and tribal members through land rematriation, community revitalization, and youth education. It (re)creates connection to the Buffalo, increases the number of buffalo and amount of land owned by the Tribes, and leverages the Tribes' spiritual ceremonies.

This project restores conservation herds of buffalo to the Wind River Indian Reservation, its former habitat, creating a pathway for revitalization of the community through economic security, food sovereignty, youth engagement, and environmental justice, while increasing Tribal power and self-determination.