US Focuses Efforts , on Restoring Bison Herds , on Tribal Lands.<br />The United States Interior Department has announced that it will work to restore <br />large bison herds on Native American lands. .<br />'The Independent' reports that the news comes <br />as part of an effort to tap into Indigenous <br />knowledge regarding conservation.<br />U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is <br />expected to announce a new secretarial <br />order to help tribes establish bison herds.<br />$25 million in federal funds <br />will be allocated to aid those efforts.<br />'The Independent' reports that the funds will go toward <br />building new herds, transferring bison from federal to <br />tribal lands and forging new agreements with tribes.<br />Despite returning from the brink of extinction, the bison remain <br />absent from the grasslands they once called home while many <br />tribes struggle to restore their deep connection to the animal. .<br />At one time, North America was home to as many <br />as 60 million bison which were central to <br />the culture of Native Americans.<br />According to Haaland, the bison's recovery is <br />considered a conservation success, while more <br />work remains to return the animal to tribal lands.<br />'The Independent' reports that 82 tribes <br />across the U.S. now have over <br />20,000 bison living in 65 herds.<br />The U.S. Interior Department currently manages 11,000 bison in herds spanning 12 states.
