Conservation Ranching - National Bison Association

NBA Conservation Management Plan (CMP)

The Conservation Management Plan (CMP) provides bison farmers and ranchers the ability to monitor and document their conservation practices to both improve and exhibit how their work positively impacts the bison, the land they’re on, and the people around them. The simple web app based interface allows all producers to manage and measure their conservation efforts effectively. See a complete overview of the CMP here and these successful, “Master Steward” applications:

777 Bison Ranch

Beaver Creek Buffalo

Nachusa Grasslands

Bison and the Environment

Native grasslands comprise more than 40 percent of North America’s natural landscape. The grasses covering these open landscapes serve as powerful carbon traps, with slender leaves removing CO2 from the atmosphere and returning it to the soil through an extensive system of roots. These grasslands did not occur in a vacuum. In fact, North America’s grasslands evolved over tens of thousands of years of continuous grazing by large ruminants, most notably the American bison. This co-evolutionary process to grasses and grazers developed into a symbiotic relationship that is vital to the health of both.

Low Stress Bison Handling, By Mark Kossler, Turner Enterprises, Inc.

Much has been written and taught about bison being “semi-free ranging wild ungulents” with a built in predilection that renders normal livestock handling techniques, fences, corrals and equipment insufficient to handle and control these animals. This perception has lead many to build physically large and imposing fences as the “standard” bison fence. In fact, some of the “Jurassic Park” corrals developed for working bison could easily be used for working elephants. Yet many producers use minimal fencing (two wires electric) for pasture separations with little or no problems, and some use minimal corrals made out of wood, rubber belting, wildlife screening, or big straw bales to routinely work their animals.

NBA Conference Presentations

As a service to our members who are not able to attend our conferences, the NBA I pleased to share these conference presentations with you. Thanks to Buffalo Gold Premium Fibers and the Buffalo Wool Co. for their generous sponsorship that made this possible. NBA membership required to view, please learn more about NBA’s membership levels here.