Working Together for Bison

TNC is responsible for 11 bison herds across the country. Connecting the people who care for those herds is the Bison Network, a working group that brings together bison managers, business unit staff, Division leadership and the Buffalo Restoration Program team.

Twice a year, members of the network come together to share what they’ve learned, identify best-management practices for bison stewardship, exchange resources and coordinate relationships with partners. These gatherings also build connections that staff can rely on throughout the year.

This summer, that gathering brought members of the Bison Network to TNC's Nachusa Grasslands in Illinois, including Cole Starkey, Tony Capizzo and Zoë Colatarci from TNC's Kansas team.

But Cole, Tony and Zoë's time in the region didn't end with the Bison Network gathering. After joining colleagues at Nachusa Grasslands, the Kansas team continued to TNC's Kankakee Sands Nature Preserve in northwest Indiana to help with a bison corral improvement project.

This project was an opportunity for the Kansas team to share what they have learned through their own experience managing bison at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Before the trip, Cole worked with Kankakee Sands staff on plans for their corral redesign, offering technical input based on lessons learned from the Kansas herd.

From there, those plans turned into a hands-on effort. Cole fabricated pieces of the new corral infrastructure and joined Tony, Zoë and Kankakee Sands staff to install those improvements. Working together, the teams added new gates, catwalks and walls, with the goal of improving how bison move through the corral and creating a better and briefer experience for both bison and handlers.

However, the work isn't finished with this trip. The Kansas team plans to return this fall to help with Kankakee Sands' roundup, evaluate how the changes are working and identify whether additional improvements could be beneficial.

For Olivia, the project also showed how the different skills and experiences found across TNC can become a resource for one another.

“We have individual skills, knowledge, and experience that can be easily shared because of the connections and relationships we have built through the Bison Network.”

The work at Kankakee Sands Nature Preserve is one example of what can happen when teams across TNC share their knowledge and support one another. Experience gained with one herd can help inform work with another, while staff can bring their own skills and perspectives to opportunities beyond their individual preserves.

“It’s the sort of project that demonstrates how teams across TNC can achieve far better results than we would working alone,” said Olivia.

From gathering with colleagues in Illinois to working side by side in Indiana, the Kansas team's trip showed how collaboration can strengthen bison work across TNC, and highlights how much more can be accomplished together.