Bison are being returned to Metis owned land around Batoche  A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today (Fri) between Parks Canada and Metis Nation – Saskatchewan which would see the return of 24 bison to the Back to Batoche festival grounds. The bison will be transferred from Grasslands National Park.

Phase two would be placing the growing herd on a portion of the 690 hectares at Batoche belonging to Metis citizens.  This past August, Parks Canada transferred ownership of the 690 hectares on the west side of the Batoche National Historic Site to MN-S citizens. An MN-S news release says once the bison are established, there will be educational opportunities. For example, Metis elders and youth can be together on the land while theoretically learning traditional and contemporary hunting, harvesting and processing techniques that date back to their Metis ancestors.

MN-S Vice-President, Michelle LeClair, says, “As stewards of the land, returning a keystone species to the homeland of the Metis will assist the MN-S in its mandate of restoring healthy and natural ecosystems.”