American Indians Set to Manage US Bison Refuge
Date: 16-Dec-04
Country: USA
Author: Judith Crosson
The range is one of about 540 wildlife refuges in a 95 million-acre (38 million-hectare) National Wildlife Refuge system from Alaska to the Caribbean.
On Wednesday, the US Department of the Interior will sign a contract with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Reservation in northwestern Montana to turn over various management activities to the tribes.
The bison played a key role in the life of American Indians, providing food and clothing. But the largest land animal in North America, which once roamed vast areas, nearly went extinct from being hunted and having its migration routes blocked by the building of railroads.
Controversy surrounds the agreement because the Interior Department said it was looking for contract proposals from tribes to manage other refuges, including Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. ANWR became a battleground in the first term of the Bush administration over a proposal to open part of the refuge to oil and natural gas development.
"Under the (Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance) act, qualified tribes may request to perform various activities on Interior Department land that are of geographic, historic or cultural significance to the tribe," Interior Department spokesman Hugh Vickery said. The contract will take effect 90 days after signing if there are no objections from Congress.
The National Bison Range was established in 1908 to conserve the American bison. The area is also home to elk, pronghorn antelope and migratory birds.
The tribes welcomed the pact. "If you look at the way Indian people lived -- a subsistence lifestyle -- one of the most important aspects to get through the winter was the bison," tribe spokeswoman Gwen Lankford said.
Critics say a bad precedent is being set. "Is this the way we want to administer our federal trust lands?" asked Gene Hocutt, a retired wildlife refuge manager. According to the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a group of current and retired government workers, one-third of wildlife refuge managers objected to the Interior Department contract.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the Interior Department, will retain ultimate authority over the bison refuge. The tribes will perform biological programs, maintenance and visitor services.
