#4 The Buffalo Field Campaign, Protecting the Last Wild Bison

This episode of Muse Ecology is the first in this four part series beginning to explore humankind's relation to the bison in the Great Plains of North America. This buffalo series features diverse voices of folks involved in the bison's return that Alison and I met on our buffalo investigation journey in February 2018. While the next three episodes feature entrepreneurs and ranchers who are working to restore bison to the landscape, this first episode features voices of wildlife advocates who see the buffalo as a wild elder whose right to roam long precedes our recent human constructs.   The first visit on our buffalo journey was with the Buffalo Field Campaign, a volunteer-run organization that exists to defend the dignity and freedom of the last continuously wild herd of buffalo in North America, in Yellowstone National Park. Founded over 20 years ago by Lakota Grandmother Rosalie Littlethunder and videographer Mike Mease, through documentation and advocacy, the BFC seeks to promote awareness of the story and management of the Yellowstone bison, and to influence policy to allow them to roam free like the other wild ones.   At just over two and a half hours this episode ended up a bit long, but felt like one story to be released together, so I divided it up into chapters like an audio book or radio play, and created a table of contents with minute and second, to make it easy to restart if you have to take a break.   00:00:52         Introduction to the Buffalo Series 00:09:17         Arrival at BFC 00:09:46   Chapter 1: The First Annual Rosalie Littlethunder Memorial                                   Walk 00:15:44   Rosalie Memorial Circle 00:29:27   Chapter 2: Buffalo Awareness in Bozeman 00:29:31        More Words From Karen Littlethunder and Cheryl Angel 00:35:04        Awareness Rally Grooves 00:38:53   Chapter 3: Ski Patrol and Share Frog 00:38:55        A Daily Meeting 00:45:55        Buffalo Patrol 00:52:96        A Wild Lullaby for Share Frog 00:57:05   Chapter 4: Jimmy Brings an Important Message 01:09:46   Chapter 5: A Conversation with Stephanie Seay 01:11:24        Conversation with Stephanie 01:35:14   Chapter 6: A Conversation with Mike Mease 01:36:05        Details about the March webinar 01:36:46        Conversation with Mike 02:36:11        Closing Rumination and Introduction of Tanka Bar Episode   You can connect with the Buffalo Field Campaign, to follow their work or arrange to volunteer for a while, at Michael DiGiorgio recorded the banjo-bird jams I'm using in the intro and ending. You can find his amazing nature art at . Mike says that if you'd like to buy the album of his nature-banjo jams, you can find his email on his website and he can mail you a CD.