"Those skills are not learned in the books. Those skills are learned in the communities and passed on through generations.”
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is all about the (bison bison bison) recently. With the potential reintroduction of a herd of plains bison later this year, the park is looking for a bison manager to keep an eye on the big guys.
While they’re not hard to spot given their size, there’s much more to the position than supervision.
Beyond a background in animal science and the ability to operate small farm machinery, there cultural competency is integral to ensuring that the 50-strong herd is treated with the respect it deserves. Wanuskewin resource management coordinator Brady Highway said the bison reintroduction fits into a broader vision of holistically restoring the land.
“What we’re doing is bringing back a cultural herd in line with the vision and mandate of Wanuskewin, which is a living reminder of Indigenous peoples’ connection to the land,” Highway said.
“In that respect, it’s not only just about reintroducing bison. It’s about restoring grasslands, it’s about restoring Indigenous stewardship over these lands and about restoring the language and world views that go with protecting the land for future generations.”
The park has allocated an area covering about 590 acres for the bison to roam, split into three paddocks. Before they arrive, effective forage needs to be established to provide for them. Seeding of the land is set to begin in the coming months.
The original plan was to bring the herd in from Montana, until it came to light that the animals would need to be quarantined at the border for five years before being allowed in. Now, Wanuskewin staff are working with Parks Canada to source plains bison from a population in one of the national parks.
Money from Wanuskewin’s Thundering Ahead fundraising campaign will go toward expanding the park to 1,000 acres from its current 300 acres, in part to accommodate the bison. The original $40 million goal set in 2017 has been surpassed, but the park has extended the goal to accommodate more projects.
Most of the work, including the initial introduction of bison, is expected to be complete by the spring of 2020. However, Highway said the park isn’t rushing to find the right candidate for the manager position.
A crucial component of the introduction — and by extension, the role of bison manager — is ensuring both western science and traditional knowledge are used.
“It is so important for this person to have a grounding in their Indigenous culture. Wanuskewin was one of those places that was home to every Indigenous nation of the Great Plains,” Highway said. “So whether it be cultural burning practices, animal husbandry or even animal communication, those skills are not learned in the books. Those skills are learned in the communities and passed on through generations.”
If someone is found by this winter, the bison could arrive from Grasslands National Park as soon as December. If not, the team will wait until 2021 and get the bison from Elk Island National Park, near Edmonton.