The buffalo is inextricably linked to North America’s indigenous population.
Millions of the animals used to roam across vast stretches from Canada to Mexico, but the mass slaughter of buffalo in the 1800s led to the near extinction of the species.
The nonprofit Texas Tribal Buffalo Project began more than five years ago to reconnect with indigeneity through buffalo and the land.
Lucille Contreras, the project’s founder and CEO, said buffalo are the best stewards of the land.
“First of all, they're indigenous to this land. They're from here. They always have been here,” she said. “Their hooves are concave, so as they're walking, they're aerating the soil … and creating biodiversity.”
The organization began with a 77-acre property in Waelder, Texas, that houses a herd of at least 29 buffalo.
Through a new partnership with the national nonprofit, The Conservation Fund, the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project is expanding its footprint with the acquisition of nearly 150 acres of mostly agricultural land on the outskirts of Floresville.
Ellen Gass, the Texas field representative for The Conservation Fund, said the partnership will lease the newly acquired land to the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project until it can raise enough funds to purchase the site outright.
“It’s conservation, it’s supporting the community, it’s preserving cultural heritage,” she said.
View a campaign video with the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project and The Conservation Fund below:
