WATCHING A HERD OF BUFFALO RUN AT FULL SPEED PAST FOR A WEEK.

>> THE BISON, THEY ARE THE NATIONAL MAMMAL.

THAT'S AS MUCH A VALUE TO FOLKS THAT LIVE IN MONTANA AS IT IS TO FOLKS THAT LIVE IN GEORGIA.

>> WHEN THE BUFFALO ARE STRONG, WE LAKOTA, WE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE STRONG AGAIN.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TATANKA OYATE, BUFFALO NATION, AND THE LAKOTA OYATE, THE LAKOTA NATION, OUR FATE AND DESTINY AND IDENTITY IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TOGETHER.

♪ ♪ >> WE CAN'T BE LAKOTA WITHOUT THE BUFFALO.

AND WE WOULD SAY THAT BUFFALO CAN'T BE BUFFALO WITHOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAKOTA AS WELL.

♪ ♪ >> THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BUFFALO TO THE LAKOTA - IT GAVE THE LAKOTA EVERYTHING.

IT GAVE THEM THEIR WAY OF LIVING AS FAR AS A SHELTER.

IT ALSO GAVE THEM A WAY OF INCOME.

>> BUFFALO PROVIDED MODELS FOR US ON HOW TO ORGANIZE OUR SOCIETY.

BUFFALO EMPHASIZE AND PROTECT THEIR YOUNG AND THEN THEIR ELDERS AND THAT IS THE EMBODIMENT OF LAKOTA SOCIETY AND HOW WE ORGANIZE OURSELVES.

AND WE SAY THAT WE'RE RELATED TO EVERYTHING, BUT WE'RE ESPECIALLY CLOSELY RELATED TO BUFFALO AND BUFFALO HAVE BEEN OUR SAVIORS.

♪ ♪ >> THERE WAS A GENOCIDE COMMITTED AGAINST THE LAKOTA AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN NORTH AMERICA.

THERE WAS ALSO A GENOCIDE COMMITTED AGAINST BUFFALO, AND THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED AND EXTERMINATED IN ORDER TO DESTROY OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND OUR ABILITY TO LIVE, OUR ABILITY TO HAVE AN ECONOMY, OUR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES.

>> IT'S OUR WAY OF LIFE.

IT'S OUR CULTURE, HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER, AND WE'LL LEARN THAT BACK THROUGH BRINGING OUR BUFFALO BACK AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.

♪ ♪ >> FOR DECADES, MANY TRIBAL, PUBLIC, AND PRIVATE GROUPS HAVE WORKED HARD TO RESTORE BISON TO THE PRAIRIE.

WITH EVERY SUCCESS COMES A RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS THE GRASSLANDS.

♪ ♪ >> BISON AND BUFFALO ARE ONE AND THE SAME.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO USE THE WORD BISON.

IT'S THE GENUS AND SPECIES NAME OF THE ANIMAL, BUT BUFFALO IS ABSOLUTELY ACCEPTABLE AND IT'S THE MORE COMMONLY USED PHRASE IN INDIAN COUNTRY.

BUFFALO HAVE AN AMAZING SOCIAL ORDER.

THEY'RE A MATRIARCHAL SOCIETY.

THEY'VE GOT CULTURE.

FOR MOST OF THE YEAR, THE GRANDMOTHERS AND THE MOTHERS AND THEIR CALVES, NIECES, NEPHEWS, OFFSPRING OF ALL DIFFERENT AGES WILL HANG TOGETHER, AND THEN MOST OF THE MALES, AS THEY GET OLDER, WILL GO OFF FOR THE YEAR, AND THEN THEY'LL COME BACK TOGETHER AS WHOLE FAMILY GROUPS DURING THE RUT, WHICH IS MOSTLY IN AUGUST.

WHEN BUFFALO BREED, IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S A HAREM WHERE THERE'S ONE BULL THAT HAS A WHOLE GROUP OF FEMALES.

FEMALES WILL MATE WITH WHOEVER THEY WANT... [GROWLING] ...AND THE BULLS WILL REALLY JUST WORK TO KEEP EACH OTHER OUT OF THE REST OF THE GROUP.

BUT THEY'RE AMAZINGLY MATRIARCHAL, LED BY WOMEN OR THE COWS, AND VERY, VERY CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY GROUPS AS WELL THAT THEY'LL STAY TOGETHER AND HELP EACH OTHER, DEFEND EACH OTHER'S CHILDREN, AND IT'S A REALLY EXEMPLARY SOCIETY.

[LAUGHTER] THERE'S NO ANIMAL THAT'S MORE SUITED FOR THE WIDE VARIETY OF LANDSCAPES THAT THERE ARE ACROSS NORTH AMERICA.

YOU TEND TO THINK OF THEM AS PRAIRIE ANIMALS BECAUSE THEY KIND OF INTENSIVELY GRAZE AS BIG HERDS AND THEN MOVE ON QUICKLY.

THEY CAN ACTUALLY STIMULATE NEW PLANT GROWTH.

THEY SAY THERE'S EVEN AN ENZYME IN THE BUFFALO'S SALIVA THAT STIMULATES GROWTH FROM PLANTS.

AS BUFFALO ARE RETURNED TO THE LANDSCAPE AND ABLE TO FUNCTION IN THEIR ECOLOGICAL ROLE, THEY REALLY STIMULATE AMAZING RESTORATION OF PRAIRIE LANDSCAPES, TOO.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'LL WALLOW.

IT'S A VERY FUN THING TO WATCH.

THEY'LL ROLL ON THEIR BACKS WITH THEIR FEET UP IN THE AIR AND KIND OF SCRATCH THEIR BACKS.

THEY THINK IT MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH HELPING STIMULATE DIGESTION FOR THEM, AS WELL.

WHEN IT RAINS, THOSE WALLOWS HELP THE PRAIRIE TO ABSORB WATER AT A SLOWER RATE AND NOT JUST HAVE IT WASH OFF.

IT ALSO CREATES HABITAT FOR A HUGE NUMBER OF SMALL ANIMALS.

SO, LOTS OF ANIMALS, THEIR NESTS AND FOOD SOURCES, WATER SOURCES ARE BASED RIGHT AROUND THOSE BUFFALO WALLOWS.

THEIR SCAT PROVIDES A FOOD SOURCE FOR A HUGE NUMBER OF INSECTS, WHICH BASICALLY BECOME THE BASE OF THE FOOD CHAIN FOR A LOT OF PRAIRIE ANIMALS.

THEIR HAIR IS USED IN NESTS.

THEIR WALLOWS CREATE PONDS AND SMALL MICRO HABITATS, AND JUST A HUGE AMOUNT OF DIVERSITY ON THE PRAIRIE.

SO, THEY'RE LIKE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FOR THE PRAIRIES OF NORTH AMERICA.

>> BISON ONCE RANGED FROM OREGON TO NEW JERSEY AND FROM THE ARCTIC CIRCLE TO MEXICO, AND THERE WAS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 30 AND 60 MILLION BISON, WHICH IS AMONG THE MOST ABUNDANT LARGE MAMMALS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

>> THERE'S ONE ACCOUNT OF SOME EXPLORERS, LIKE, WATCHING A HERD OF BUFFALO RUN AT FULL SPEED PAST FOR A WEEK, SO YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW MANY ANIMALS THAT IS.

>> WITHIN A PERIOD OF ABOUT 100 YEARS, HALF OF THE POPULATION WAS WIPED OUT AND THEN, OVER A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS, THE OTHER HALF OF THE BISON POPULATION WAS WIPED OUT, AND THAT WAS IN THE EARLY TO MID-1880S THAT THEY DECLINED TO SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 500 PLAINS BISON REMAINING.

THAT WAS IN PART, SPONSORED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO TRY AND SUBJUGATE TRIBES, BUT THERE WAS ALSO A NEED FOR THOSE HIDES FUELING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

THE HIDES WOULD BE SENT EAST TO TANNERIES, AND THOSE HIDES COULD THEN BE USED FOR BELTS FOR MACHINERY, SO THERE WAS BOTH AN INTEREST IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF BISON, SO THAT TRIBES WERE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO MOVE ONTO RESERVATIONS THAT HAD BEEN SET ASIDE TO ALLOW FOR THE PEOPLING OF THE WEST, BUT THERE WAS ALSO AN INDUSTRY THAT WAS FUELING IT.

THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY ARRIVED IN MONTANA IN 1881, AND RECORDS SHOW THAT ABOUT 16 MILLION BISON HIDES WERE SHIPPED EAST TO TANNERIES OVER THE FOLLOWING THREE YEARS.

BY 1884, THEY WERE SHIPPING THE LAST HIDES TO TANNERIES IN THE EAST.

THE BISON WERE GONE.

THE LAST BUFFALO HUNTS HAD HAPPENED ON THE RESERVATIONS IN THAT AREA, AND SO THERE JUST A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS WITHIN THE ARRIVAL OF THE RAILROAD, THE BISON WERE WIPED OUT.

♪ ♪ >> THE DEMISE OF THE BUFFALO WAS ALSO A DEMISE OF THE PEOPLE, AND OUR CULTURE AND OUR TRADITIONS AND OUR SPIRITUALITY.

IT WAS A WAY TO CONTROL THE INDIAN PEOPLE, THE TRIBAL PEOPLE, TO MAKE THEM LISTEN TO WHAT THEY WANTED.

THE BUFFALO TO NATIVE PEOPLE WAS FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER.

YOU TAKE THAT AWAY, YOU HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER THEM.

IN 1991 THERE WAS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WORKING FOR NATIVE AMERICAN FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, AND THEY HAD AN IDEA THAT WHY ARE WE NOT RETURNING BUFFALO TO TRIBAL LANDS AND TO OUR PEOPLE?

WHY ARE WE NOT FOCUSING ON THE CULTURE AND SPIRITUALITY OF THE REALITIES OF WHAT THIS ANIMAL BRINGS TO OUR PEOPLE AND TO THE LAND?

SO, THAT WAS OUR BEGINNING, AND WE HAD A HANDFUL OF TRIBES THAT WERE ALL ABOUT RETURNING BUFFALO TO TRIBAL LANDS.

WE HAVE, SO CURRENTLY, 69 TRIBES.

THEY'RE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

WE'RE IN 19 DIFFERENT STATES.

MAYBE ONE TRIBE WANTS TO DEVELOP MORE ECONOMICALLY AND GET INTO MARKETING, MAYBE SOME ARE LOOKING AT STRICTLY HEALTH INITIATIVES BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK WITH DIABETES AND OTHER HEALTH CONCERNS, AND THE BUFFALO ACTUALLY CAN HEAL PEOPLE THROUGH THE NUTRIENTS OF ITS MEAT.

>> WORLD WILDLIFE FUND WAS APPROACHED BY REDCO, ROSEBUD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH IS THE ECONOMIC ARM OF THE ROSEBUD SIOUX TRIBE, TO HELP THEM SECURE A LEASE OF ABOUT 28,000 ACRES WHERE THEY WANTED TO RESTORE BISON.

WE LEARNED THAT IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO SUSTAIN 1,500 BISON, WHICH WOULD BE THE LARGEST TRIBALLY OWNED AND MANAGED HERD IN OUR REGION, AND SO WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD BE VERY EXCITED TO PARTNER WITH THEM.

IT CAN GENERATE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR IN REVENUE FOR THE TRIBE AND CAN ALSO GENERATE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MEAT TO SUSTAIN THE COMMUNITY AND GENERATE SOME BENEFIT IN THAT SENSE AS WELL.

♪ ♪ >> FEW PEOPLE APPRECIATE THE WONDERS OF THE AMERICAN PRAIRIE, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MIDWEST AFFECTS THE WHOLE WORLD.

>> THE PRAIRIE IS SUCH AN AMAZING AND DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I REFLECT ON SOME OF THE MOST SPECIAL MOMENTS THAT I'VE HAD, THEY ARE LITERALLY BEING OUT ON THE PRAIRIE TOTALLY BY MYSELF, AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE SITTING NEAR A BISON HERD OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A PRAIRIE DOG COLONY OR EVEN BETTER, BISON WITHIN A PRAIRIE DOG COLONY, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY ARE ABLE TO SEE HOW AMAZING THIS ECOSYSTEM IS, THAT I THINK IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

>> THEY'RE NOT THE GLAMOROUS MOUNTAIN, FOREST, SNOWCAP PEAKS THAT YOU OFTEN SEE IN MOVIES.

THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ATTENTION AS SAY, THE AMAZON RAINFOREST.

THEY'RE JUST REALLY NOT ON A LOT OF PEOPLE'S RADAR, EVEN THOUGH THEY MAKE UP A HUGE PROPORTION OF OUR LANDSCAPE, THEY PROVIDE THE SUSTENANCE FOR PEOPLE, WILDLIFE, COMMUNITIES; THE WORLD, REALLY.

THEY'RE JUST NOT THAT WELL RECOGNIZED.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE OF IS THAT, NUMBER ONE, ONE OF THE LAST FOUR REMAINING TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS IN THE WORLD IS FOUND HERE IN NORTH AMERICA IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS.

THE OTHER THING THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT, ALTHOUGH THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS IS THIS VAST AREA, WE'RE LOSING OVER A HALF A MILLION ACRES A YEAR TO PLOW UP FOR ROW CROP AGRICULTURE.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE GREAT PLAINS AS A WHOLE, THE ENTIRE GREAT PLAINS, WE'RE LOSING OVER TWO MILLION ACRES A YEAR.

IN RECENT YEARS THE AMOUNT OF LOSS THAT WE'RE FACING HERE RIVALS THAT OF THE LOSS OF FOREST IN THE AMAZON.

>> IN THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS, THAT'S BEEN ABOUT FOUR FOOTBALL FIELDS BEING CONVERTED EVERY MINUTE.

>> ALONG WITH THAT DECLINE HAS BEEN A 68% DECLINE GLOBALLY OF SPECIES LIKE MAMMALS, BIRDS, REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, FISHES.

FROM 1970 TO 2016, WE'VE SEEN JUST AN ASTOUNDING LOSS OF THOSE SPECIES OVER TIME, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF HUMAN INFLUENCE ON THE LANDSCAPE.

A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

A LOT OF WHAT WAS ONCE INTACT NATIVE GRASSLANDS IS NOW MONOCULTURE CROP LANDS, SO ROW CROP AGRICULTURE.

AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH MILES AND MILES OF CORN AND SOYBEAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT, BUT THEN AS YOU MOVE FURTHER WEST, YOU WILL GET INTO INTACT GRASSLAND STILL.

BECAUSE BISON AND THE GRASSLANDS EVOLVED TOGETHER, THERE IS A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP THAT OCCURS.

THEY BOTH REALLY NEED EACH OTHER, GRASSLANDS EVOLVED TO BE GRAZED, AND SO THAT'S SIMILAR TO HOW CATTLE WILL GRAZE THE GRASS NOW THAT BISON AND PRAIRIE DOGS ONCE HISTORICALLY DID THAT, AND SO BY GRAZING THAT AND CLIPPING THE VEGETATION, IT ALLOWS THAT PLANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW, PUT NEW GREEN GROWTH ON, HIGHER NUTRIENT VEGETATION, WHICH THE BISON WILL THEN COME BACK AND GRAZE AGAIN.

>> THE BISON, THEY ARE THE NATIONAL MAMMAL.

IT'S AS MUCH A VALUE TO FOLKS THAT LIVE IN MONTANA AS IT IS TO FOLKS THAT LIVE IN GEORGIA.

THE BISON, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THEIR HISTORICAL RANGE, MOST FOLKS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES WOULD HAVE BISON PRESENT ON THEIR LANDSCAPES.

>> BISON TEND TO GRAZE ON THE HOOF, WHICH MEANS ESSENTIALLY THAT THEY GRAZE AS THEY MOVE, MUCH MORE OF A PATCHWORK ON THE LANDSCAPE, SOME TALL GRASS, SOME SHORT GRASS, SOME AREAS THAT THEY PREFER TO GRAZE MORE HEAVILY.

>> THE GREAT PLAINS IS A VERY ARID, DIFFICULT REGION FOR PLANTS TO GROW IN.

IN MANY WAYS, IT'S LIKE A TYPE OF DESERT, SO THERE'S VERY LITTLE RAINFALL, AND THEN THE SEASONS ARE VERY SHORT.

WINTER IS VERY LONG.

IT'S VERY COLD.

AND SO, IT'S A VERY TOUGH PLACE TO GROW CROPS AS OPPOSED TO MORE OF THE EASTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE THERE'S HIGH LEVELS OF MOISTURE.

MOST CROPS ARE VERY SHALLOW ROOTED, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY REQUIRE LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER TO GROW.

WHEREAS OUR NATIVE PLANTS, THE PLANTS HAVE EVOLVED TO LIVE IN THIS AREA, HAVE ROOTS THAT SOMETIMES GO 10, 15 FEET DOWN IN THE SOIL.

SO NOT ONLY ARE THOSE PLANTS ABLE TO SURVIVE DROUGHT, AS OPPOSED TO CROPS, BUT ALSO THEY'RE STORING AND BRINGING WATER VERY DEEP DOWN INTO THE SOIL SO IN TIMES WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A PERIOD OF DROUGHT OR A PERIOD OF EXTENDED COLD, THOSE PLANTS CAN STILL THRIVE.

[MOOING] SOME OF THE BEST STEWARDS OF THE GRASSLANDS ARE RANCHERS.

YOU KNOW, THE GRASSLANDS EVOLVED TO BE GRAZED, AND SO HAVING CATTLE IN THE LANDSCAPE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING NO GRAZING ANIMALS IS A GOOD THING.

HOWEVER, IT'S TOUGH TO BE A RANCHER.

IT'S TOUGH TO BE A FARMER, AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES AND SUPPORT THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT REGION FOR POLLINATORS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THESE POLLINATORS ARE BEING IMPACTED BY ROW CROP AGRICULTURE.

MOST OF THE CORN, IN FACT 100% OF THE NON-ORGANIC CORN, THE SEEDS ARE COATED WITH SOMETHING CALLED A NEONICOTINOID, WHICH IS A SYSTEMIC PESTICIDE.

NOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THESE SEEDS THAT GO INTO THE GROUND, MAYBE ONLY 5% OF THE CHEMICAL STAYS WITH THE SEED, AND THAT BECOMES PART OF THE PLANT, THE REST WASH OFF AND GO INTO OUR WATER SYSTEMS AND ALSO BECOME ABSORBED INTO THE SURROUNDING PLANTS.

SO,IT'S JUST REALLY HORRIBLE FOR THE ECOSYSTEM IN GENERAL.

JUST MAKING IT EASIER FOR FARMERS TO BUY NON-PESTICIDE COATED SEEDS WOULD BE A GREAT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

NOT PENALIZING FARMERS FOR TRYING TO GO ORGANIC OR INCENTIVIZING THAT, WOULD HELP A LOT OF DIFFERENT SPECIES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT W.W.F.

TO HELP MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR POLLINATORS IS WORKING WITH LANDOWNERS TO RESEED GRASSLANDS BACK TO MORE OF A NATIVE COMPOSITION OF GRASSES.

THAT'S NOT ONLY GOOD FOR RANCHERS WHO ARE GRAZING CATTLE BUT ALSO FOR SONGBIRDS, FOR POLLINATORS, AND MANY OF THESE OTHER SPECIES THAT REALLY RELY ON A HEALTHY GRASSLAND MIX.

I'VE LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT THIS REGION IS FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

THE WATER THAT'S FILTERED THROUGH THIS REGION GOES INTO THE MISSOURI AND GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GULF OF MEXICO.

SO, FISHERIES IN THE GULF ARE IMPACTED BY WHAT HAPPENS UP HERE IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS.

>> WHEN YOU'RE ROAMING ACROSS AN INTACT GRASSLAND AND YOU SEE A PRAIRIE DOG COLONY OR YOU SEE A BISON HERD MOVING THROUGH, A PRONGHORN GROUP, IT'S ONE OF THOSE FEELINGS WHERE IT'S JUST SO ALMOST MAGICAL.

IT REALLY ALLOWS YOU TO SEE THE BENEFIT AND REALIZE WHAT THE POTENTIAL IS OF THIS REGION.

♪ ♪ >> THE LAKOTA PEOPLE OF THE ROSEBUD RESERVATION HAVE WAITED YEARS TO BE RECONNECTED WITH A WILD BISON HERD.

NOW, THE WAIT IS OVER.

♪ ♪ >> WHEN THERE WERE VERY LOW NUMBERS OF BUFFALO, THAT'S WHEN WE HAD TO COME ONTO THE RESERVATIONS AND WHEN THE BUFFALO ARE STRONG, WE, LAKOTA, WE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE STRONG AGAIN.

THE MARK OF A LAKOTA MAN AND WHAT EVERY LAKOTA MAN WAS EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO DO WAS TO GO FOUR DAYS WITHOUT FOOD AND WATER, TO RUN FOR A DAY AND TO BE ABLE TO CARRY A DEER ON YOUR BACK FOR A DAY, AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY HEALTHY LAKOTA MAN WAS ABLE TO DO THAT.

THAT WAS THE KIND OF PHYSICAL FITNESS THAT WAS REQUIRED AND OUR LIFESTYLE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY STRONG, WE WERE VERY FIT, WE WERE VIBRANT, WE WERE HEALTHY, AND A BIG PART OF THAT WAS BUFFALO AND A BIG PART OF THAT WAS OUR CONNECTION TO THE LAND.

>> WHEN EUROPEANS ARRIVED, NATIVE AMERICANS THAT LIVED WITH THE BISON WERE THE TALLEST PEOPLE KNOWN IN HISTORY, BECAUSE THEY WERE A RICH PEOPLE WITH THE BISON, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE FINDING NOW THAT PLAINS TRIBES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BISON ARE 20% TO 40% MORE ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED THAN OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES, SO THE LOSS OF THE BUFFALO HAS ACTUALLY HAD A GREATER IMPACT ON THESE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER POPULATION.

>> AND NOW THAT IT'S OUR NATIONAL MAMMAL, IT'S GETTING MORE ATTENTION AND WHAT I'M HOPING IS AS PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE BISON, THEY WILL THEN, IN TURN, LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON THE BISON.

AND MAYBE THEY'LL ALSO WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HABITAT THAT THE BISON NEEDS TO LIVE AND REALIZE THAT THIS ANIMAL IS PART OF AN INCREDIBLE ECOSYSTEM OF NOT JUST LARGE ANIMALS, BUT SMALL ANIMALS THAT ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELL-BEING OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE WORLD AS A WHOLE.

♪ ♪ >> ROSEBUD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, OR REDCO IS A CORPORATION WHOLLY OWNED BY THE ROSEBUD SIOUX TRIBE, AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING AND PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON BEHALF OF THE TRIBE, BUT WE DO MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

OUR WORK IS REALLY ABOUT BUILDING OPPORTUNITY, HEALING COMMUNITY, FUNDING DREAMS, AND CLAIMING SOVEREIGNTY.

>> ONE OF THE REALLY UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS THE UNIQUE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW AND DEVELOP.

ON ONE HAND YOU HAVE AN ECONOMIC CORPORATION OWNED BY A NATIVE NATION MOVING THIS FORWARD.

WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, WHO'S PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ALONG THE WAY.

AND THEN ALSO THE US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR IS PROVIDING US WITH BUFFALO, AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR HAS WHAT THEY CALL A TEN YEAR BISON MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND US BEING INCLUDED AS A PART OF DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORS PLAN ALLOWS US TO RECEIVE AND TO ALSO EXCHANGE BUFFALO WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVING 50 BUFFALO FROM THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK IN NORTH DAKOTA AND THEN ALSO 50 BUFFALO FROM BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK IN SOUTH DAKOTA, AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST HOOVES ON THE GROUND, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ONE OF THE ONLY PLACES IN THE COUNTRY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVING BUFFALO FROM MULTIPLE NATIONAL PARKS.

AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE ONE OF THE MOST GENETICALLY DIVERSE BUFFALO HERDS IN THE NATION.

WE'RE GOING TO BE RELEASING BUFFALO HERE ON OUR LAND, ON ROSEBUD LAND, AND IT'S NOT REALLY ROSEBUD LAND.

IT'S ALSO TATANKA OYATE, THEIR LAND TOO, AND SO WE SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY FOR US TO HELP TAKE CARE OF THEM BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL HOMELAND FOR THEM.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO KNOW IS THAT WE'RE TAKING A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH TO HOW WE'RE RAISING AND CARING FOR OUR BUFFALO RELATIVES.

THERE ARE KIND OF TWO SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.

ONE, IS TO TREAT BUFFALO LIKE CATTLE, WHERE YOU PUT THEM IN FEED LOTS AND YOU FATTEN THEM UP, AND THEN YOU SEND THEM TO A SLAUGHTER PLANT.

THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN WITH OUR BUFFALO.

[CEREMONY SONG] >> OUR BUFFALO ARE GOING TO BE RAISED HUMANELY AND IN A CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE MANNER AND WHEN WE HARVEST OUR BUFFALO, IT'LL BE DONE WITH RESPECT AND HONOR AND GUIDED BY PRAYER.

[CEREMONY SONG] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> IN THE CENTER HERE, WE HAVE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE SACRED TO US.

THE CORN WE CALL "WAGMIZA LAKOTA," IS A SYMBOL OF FRIENDSHIP.

SO, WHEN I SPOKE TO SOME OF THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS THEY SAID THAT -- WHEN I ASKED FOR AN APPROPRIATE GIFT TO GIVE TO THE TATONKA, THEY SAID "GIVE CORN" TO SYMBOLIZE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BUFFALO AND TO SYMBOLIZE THAT THEY'RE OUR RELATIVES.

♪ ♪ >> WE'RE STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.

PEOPLE WHO'VE COME BEFORE US AND IT'S OUR GENERATION'S TURN TO TAKE THAT WORK AND BUILD UPON IT AND OUR HOPE AND OUR VISION, OUR DREAM, IS THAT OTHER NATIVE NATIONS AND OTHER PEOPLE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND SAY, "HEY, ROSEBUD'S DOING SOMETHING GOOD.

WE'RE GOING TO ONE UP THEM," AND SHOW THAT WE CAN DO THIS ON A LARGER SCALE AND GET CLOSER TO THIS LARGER VISION OF AT LEAST A MILLION CONTIGUOUS ACRES OF BUFFALO.

WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT FROM A PLANETARY STANDPOINT AS WELL, AND THAT WE NEED, DESPERATELY NEED AS A PLANET, MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY AND STRENGTHEN AND HEAL THE LAND AND THE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪