It’s been 140 years since bison freely roamed these lands, but plans are well underway to reintroduce bison into Banff National Park.
The campaign started five years ago. Since then Parks Canada has held public consultations and drafted a plan for a five year pilot project. That plan was approved last year. Now they are just waiting to get the rubber stamp from Ottawa.
Blake Richards is the M.P. for the district of Wild Rose.
“It’s a matter now of just pushing it across the goal line. I’m confident we could see it happen in the very near future.”
Bison went extinct from the park in the late 1800’s, mainly at the hands of humans. They were later brought back and put into a paddock. But in the mid 1990’s they were moved out over fears the location was interfering with the wildlife corridor.
Cliff White is a retired Parks Canada Biologist.
“Parks Canada has helped restore bison around the world as far as Russia so they have many good examples of how to do it, the timing is completely appropriate.”
Richards will now go to Ottawa armed with 3,000 signed postcards in support of the project. If approved, bison could potentially be on the ground as soon as November 2015.
Comments