Grassland Restoration and Bison Rewilding

Large-scale prairie restoration programs that reintroduce bison to native grasslands are demonstrating welfare benefits for bison and ecological benefits for hundreds of grassland-dependent species.

Key Facts

American Prairie Reserve in Montana is assembling the largest prairie wildlife reserve in the US with 500,000 acres
Bison herds at APR demonstrate natural seasonal migration, social structure, and wallowing behavior absent in feedlot settings
Prairie dog colonies supported by bison grazing provide food and habitat for black-footed ferrets, burrowing owls, and ferruginous hawks
Restored grasslands sequester carbon at rates comparable to forest restoration in some climates
Blackfeet Nation bison restoration and Lakota buffalo reintroduction programs integrate indigenous management with wildlife recovery

Welfare Considerations

Bison in large-scale rewilding programs experience welfare conditions fundamentally different from ranched animals. Natural social structures including multi-generational herds with complex dominance relationships can be maintained. Seasonal migration allows dietary diversity and natural movement. Wallowing, rubbing, and dust bathing on native soil meets behavioral needs impossible in feedlot settings. The welfare improvement for bison from range conditions over confinement is dramatic and serves as a model for what large-scale animal welfare improvement through habitat restoration can achieve.

What You Can Do

Support American Prairie Reserve land acquisition and bison restoration programs
Donate to indigenous bison restoration programs including Blackfeet Nation and Five Tribes bison initiatives
Advocate for US federal land policies that support bison range expansion
Visit APR or similar rewilding projects to experience large-scale grassland restoration firsthand