NEWS & EVENTS
View Bison Belong Newsletter Archives...
February 01, 2012
Parks Canada Bison Reintroduction Backgrounder
Parks Canada is launching formal public consultation on the reintroduction of plains bison to Banff National Park. Over the next year Canadians will have the opportunity to shape and inform Parks Canada's plans for the future of bison in Canada's first national park. View PDF Backgrounder...
February 01, 2012
Parks Canada Bison Reintroduction News Release
Banff, Alberta, January 27, 2012 - The Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced the start of public consultation that will shape and inform Parks Canada's plans to restore plains bison to Banff National Park. View PDF Press Release...
January 25, 2012
Parks Canada Announcement
Bison Belong is pleased to announce that The Honourable Peter Kent, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada is due to announce the beginning of consultation on the reintroduction of Plains Bison to Banff National Park. The Bison Belong team will be present and we will report details of the announcement as soon as possible.
Our hopes of seeing bison roaming wild in Banff National Park are one step closer!
August 31, 2011
WIN a getaway to Cathedral Mountain Lodge... enter to win by September 8, 2011
Enter to win a two night get-away including a three-course supper for two at Cathedral Mountain Lodge. The question is: what is the name of the mountain pictured in Banff, Alberta. Clue: it is also known as Tunnel Mountain – you can also view the image on our Bison Belong Facebook page.
Send your answer to our skill testing question to info@bisonbelong.ca and you will be entered to win a weekend away at Cathedral Mountain Lodge, valid thru to September 30, 2011 & June 1 - 30, 2012. Please type your answer in the body of your email and include the best way to get a hold of you. We will notify the winner by mid September.
Deadline to enter to win is September 8, 2011.
Many thanks to Cathedral Mountain Lodge for showing their support of the return of bison to their neighbouring national park and donating this beautiful getaway.
June 24, 2011
All events will be held in Banff, Alberta
Exhibit featuring Walking Buffalo Officially opens at the Buffalo Nations Luxton Museum
A photographic exhibit commemorating the 1960 World Peace Journey by Alberta First Nations opens June 24. Photographs by Bob Flemming include striking portraits of Chief Walking Buffalo from the Stoney Nakoda Nation at Morley. Walking Buffalo visited 18 countries and four continents along with his colleagues, imparting the message that we are all one family and must work together for peace among all nations.
Unveiling of the Bison Belong Interpretative Art Display at Cascade Ponds from 12:30 to 1:00 pm.
Come and see the silhouettes of bison at Cascade Pond. Parks Canada hopes the bison exhibit creates a connection between visitors and the story of bison in Banff National Park. The Banff National Park Management Plan includes provisions, including proper consultation processes, for re-establishing bison to the park. Tea and cookies served.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Celebration at the Bison Courtyard in Banff from 3:00 to 7:00 pm
In partnership with the Francos de la Bow, the Bison Belong team invites you for a Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebration of music and culture at the Bison Courtyard in Banff from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Bison Pizza and side orders for just $5. Come to learn more about the pending bison re-introduction to Banff National Park.
For more information email us at events@bisonbelong.ca.
June 16, 2011
Wolf and bison coexistence subject of study
Parks Canada is exploring the possibility of reintroducing bison to the Rocky Mountains, as part of the 2010 Banff National Park Management Plan. Before the federal agency makes that move, however, it has promised to address a variety of concerns, including the effect bison would have on wolves, and how that in turn could affect other more vulnerable species, such as caribou. Read the full story in the Rocky Mountain Outlook...
June 15, 2011
Bison Belong Outreach Coordinator Julia Lynx visits Banff Community High School to discuss the bison introduction with grade nine students in Jason Ell's class. These engaged students were ready to discuss the pro's and con's of the introduction. Many were shocked to know that 5000 year old bison skulls have been found right in the Banff Town site.
April 14, 2011
Canmore Votes in Favour of Bison Belong
After being asked to pass a motion of support last month by Bison Belong, council voted last Tuesday (April 5) to encourage Parks Canada to move ahead with wild bison restoration in the Bow and Red Deer River valleys and encourage the provincial government to co-operate with the federal agency... Read the full story in the Rocky Mountain Outlook...
March 02, 2011
Letter of support for Bison Belong from Town of Canmore
View letter from Canmore Mayor, Ron Casey...
January 20, 2011
Join us on Friday February 18 at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies
LIVING WITH BISON
$2.00 admission, Members Free
Noon, Part One
Bring your lunch and join us for a conversation of what the re-introduction of bison (buffalo) would mean for Banff National Park. Speakers will include Tim O'Donoghue, Executive Director of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, who will discuss the experiences of living with bison near Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and Kevin Van Tighem, Banff National Park Superintendent on Parks Canada's vision about bringing wild bison into the park.
1:30pm, Part Two
Listen to a stimulating round-table discussion about the impact of the re-introduction of bison (buffalo) to Banff National Park. A number of experts – including Bill Hunt, Parks Canada; Leslie Taylor, Consultant, Harvey Locke, trustee at the Eleanor Luxton Historical Foundation; Cliff White, Research Director, Canadian Rockies Bison Initiative; Gord Vaadeland, Executive Director of the Sturgeon River Plains Bison Stewards, SK and Tim O'Donoghue, Executive Director of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce – will discuss their varied perspectives on this issue while welcoming audience questions and input.
June 18, 2010
Reintroducing the plains bison in Banff: Now a goal established by Parks Canada
It is with great pleasure that Bison Belong campaign welcomes the new 2010 Banff National Park Management Plan, by Parks Canada.
Under the section for Species at Risk, a specific goal is dedicated to wild bison. "Reintroducing a breeding population of the extirpated plains bison, a keystone species that have been absent from the park since its establishment (...)" art. 5.3.3.17 p.38. But public support must still be shown for this to happen.
The idea of reintroducing the bison has been in the Banff Management Plan since 1997. Now 13 years later, Wild bisons can return to roaming a landscape they lived in for thousands of years.
Let's create a buffalo herd and give a gift to Banff National Park on its 125th birthday!
Help the bison reintroduction by adding your voice to the Bison Belong supporters.
Read the Banff National Park Management Plan section on Bison...
March 02, 2010 – NEW IUCN Report
Bringing bison back to North America
The next 10 to 20 years could be extremely significant for restoring wild populations of plains bison to their original roaming grounds. But for this to happen, more land must be made available for herds to roam free, government policies must be updated and the public must change its attitude towards bison. We can start right now in Banff National Park.
Learn more at: www.iucn.org/?4750