Restoring Hope to the Prairie and Tribes

Following the Hollywood release of Butcher’s Crossing, an historical fiction depicting the dark history associated with the near-extinction of Plains bison in the 1800s, Defenders of Wildlife is launching the Butcher's Crossing Iinnii Companion Film to highlight the efforts of Native Tribes to restore bison back to their lands.

Today, a wild herd of bison once again roams the Blackfeet Nation’s lands and grasslands that connect to the majestic mountains of Glacier National Park. Known as the Iinni (buffalo) Initiative, the Blackfeet Confederacy’s program has guided bison restoration efforts and continues to support bison and their seasonal migration from Blackfeet all the way into Canada — from Glacier National Park to Waterton Lakes National Park.  

“We have been a proud partner of the Iinnii Initiative since it began in 2017,” said Chamois Andersen, Senior Representative in the Rockies and Plains at Defenders of Wildlife. “We look forward to continuing our support of the Buffalo Nations and reestablishing cultural herds on Tribal lands. We know there is immense ecological benefit that these bison herds will once again play in the health of our grasslands.” 

Defenders’ on-the-ground efforts include perimeter fence projects to guide the long migration corridor. We also provide financial support to buy out grazing leases for reestablishing those acres as bison habitat, along with the auxiliary benefit of helping the Blackfeet gain back their ancestral lands where once again hundreds of bison can roam. 

Watch the Butcher's Crossing Iinnii Companion Film on Defenders’ YouTube channel.