American Prairie was featured in a piece from the BBC titled, “Why grazing bison could be good for the planet”, on Friday, November 3rd. Just in time for National Bison Day (November 4th), author Christopher J. Preston highlighted how bison act as ecosystem engineers that can help jumpstart the return of natural processes.
“Bison also shape the land literally. They roll in the dust and create indentations known as “wallows” that hold water after rainstorms. After the bison move on, insects flourish in these pools and become a feast for birds and small mammals. Pronghorn antelope survive by following their tracks through deep winter snows,” Preston writes.
Whether it’s increased water retention on the prairie, greater biodiversity in the region, restoring prairie streams, or natural grazing patterns that strengthen prairie grass species, there are endless reasons to love bison! We’re excited to share this piece with you and hope you will share it with someone else. These stories are critical to raising awareness of how restoring just one keystone species can drive such a positive impact on the landscape we love.