This episode goes behind the scenes with Parks Canada to learn what was Free-roaming buffalo have returned to the ecosystem of Banff, Canada’s first National Park, replacing the earlier display herd in a paddock. Young bison were brought in from Elk Island National Park and enclosed while they bonded to the expansive Banff back country area. They adapted to their new terrain readily and they have expanded in two years from sixteen young animals to a mature herd of about fifty, reactivating ancient bison wallows. 

Bison are ecosystem engineers, improving the function of grassland and alpine ecosystems. Bison are also important to plains Treaty 7 nations, becoming a spiritual element of the species restoration project, and an aspect of reconciliation.

Featuring: Dr. Leroy Little Bear, Karsten Heuer and Harvey Locke.