Blogs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Nick Dobeck, Buffalo Allies of Bozeman
406-581-0938
December 3, 2008

“You Can Help the Yellowstone Buffalo” – Education Event
Buffalo Allies of Bozeman will hold an educational event on the basics of bison policy in Yellowstone and how to help.

(Bozeman, MT – December 3, 2008) Last season, a record number of buffalo in the Yellowstone area were shipped to slaughter under the Interagency Bison Management Plan. In the midst of that slaughter, local residents formed Buffalo Allies of Bozeman to prevent further government slaughter of wild buffalo. On Saturday, December 6, Buffalo Allies of Bozeman is holding a public event to inform Gallatin Valley residents of the basics of the buffalo situation and to promote ways to take action for these majestic animals.

WHO: Buffalo Allies of Bozeman

Buffalo Allies of Bozeman Meeting Notes
October 22, 2008 at 7 PM
Montana State University Student Union Building (2nd floor cafeteria – NW corner)

Facilitator: Jim
Attendees: 6

Several new members to group, so began with introductions to each other and about the group.

New initiatives:

Nick volunteered to go to Gallatin Wildlife Association meeting and serve as liaison with that group.

Mark volunteered to donate some of his pictures to the group - upload to website, create a flyer

Jim will discuss with BFC, regarding fencing project. A couple new members of the group have experience building fences on ranches and expressed interest in going down that route. The group reached consensus to pursue the matter of building buffalo proof fences with ranches.

Jenny will pursue tabling at the co-op.

Jenny will also draft a potential letter to the editor; the hope is that we regularly send letters to the editor from members of the group.

Jim will be uploading a new version of the Web site.

The group discussed having some kind of educational event and logistics with that, as well as having a Bozeman volunteer day at BFC.

Buffalo Allies of Bozeman, Buffalo Field Campaign, and the InterTribal Bison Cooperative sponsored a two-day workshop at the Northern Rockies Bioneers Conference in Bozeman.

We want to thank everyone who helped us, presented, and sat in on our presentations about the buffalo, about the history of buffalo and native peoples, and what's being now about Yellowstone's buffalo both in the park region and with native tribes.

We now have three of the five slide presentations available for download (see below).

Below also is a brief synopsis of the speakers and what they talked about.

Saturday

Buffalo Allies of Bozeman (BAB) will be hosting a two-part workshop at the 2008 Northern Rockies Bioneers Conference on October 16-19. The workshops, entitled "Plight of the Yellowstone Buffalo" will include talks from Mike Mease of the Buffalo Field Campaign, Kristine Reed from the InterTribal Bison Cooperative (ITBC) Jason Baldes from Montana State University, and BAB members Jim Macdonald and Chris Klatt.

The first workshop session will take place on Saturday, October 18th from 4:45 to 6pm in the Down to Earth Yoga Studio at the Emerson Cultural Center. This session will focus on the "Past, Present, and Future" of Yellowstone's bison herd and how the history of these animals is inexorably linked to the history of people that have depended on them for their cultural survival. Jim Macdonald and Mike Mease will also discuss the current obstacles that face the Yellowstone buffalo herds today, especially in light of last winter's government-sponsored slaughter of more than 1600 buffalo, which is the largest slaughter since the 19th century.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Chris Klatt
406-599-3629
lodgepole@riseup.net
August 12th, 2008

(Bozeman, Mont.) – State and Federal government agencies partnered in the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) met last week in response to federal mandates from the Government Accountability Office calling for the partners "to enhance the agencies’ collaboration and accountability to the public." The meeting, which took place August 6th and 7th at the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Regional Headquarters, fell short of these goals as individuals from the public were not allowed to ask questions of the agencies.