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Native territories were derived from Native Land Digital (https://native-land.ca/). Reservations and Indigenous Lands are from National Atlas of the United States (US), Indigenous communities (60–100% of population) from Mexico Indigena, and Aboriginal Lands of Canada from Geobase. Colors represent a gradient of historic native territories throughout North America, to emphasize the scale and diversity of Native American societies prior to being forced onto reservations. We note that tribal territories were fluid and underwent many shifts prior to, and during, European colonization, thus this map is only one such snapshot in time. For this reason, we omit the names of specific Tribes, instead using a gradient of tribal territories to highlight amount of land lost in comparison to where these communities currently reside.
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Future climate projections of warming, drying, and increased weather variability indicate that conventional agricultural and production practices within the Northern Great Plains (NGP) will become less sustainable, both ecologically and economically. As a result, the livelihoods of people that rely on these lands will be adversely impacted. This is...
Citations
... Further, the stark lack of studies on tribal land is concerning. Tribal nations steward a disproportionate amount of prairie dog colonies (Hoogland, 2013;Olimb et al., 2022;Sidle et al., 2001) and are often conservation leaders despite limited resources (Pejchar et al., 2021;Sanderson et al., 2008;Shamon et al., 2022). We acknowledge that this review is limited to the Web of Science database, so there may be tribal research that was not accessible within the parameters of our review and from our Western science perspective. ...
Keystone species are critical to maintaining ecological relationships and ecosystem functioning around the world. Prairie dogs (Cynomys sp.) are a genus of colonial keystone species endemic to North American grasslands that modify bird community composition via ecological disturbance, but this topic has not been reviewed despite many studies on grassland bird associations with prairie dogs. We conducted a systematic literature review (n = 111 studies) where we assessed three hypotheses and found consistent support for each: (1) prairie dogs increase abundance of early‐successional grassland birds through grazing, (2) prairie dog towns modify bird community composition compared to nearby grassland because they increase heterogeneity within grasslands at large spatial scales, and (3) prairie dogs increase raptor abundance by serving as a prey base. Significant gaps in our understanding of the effects of prairie dogs on birds remain. Most research was conducted on black‐tailed prairie dogs during the bird breeding season and focused on how prairie dogs modify the occurrence and abundance of birds. Research is needed on the effects of other prairie dog species, effects on birds during the non‐breeding or migratory seasons, and effects on demography, particularly for songbirds. Continued work on this topic can increase our understanding of how keystone species affect bird communities and inform conservation of grassland birds globally. Due to rapid declines of grassland birds in North America, we suggest conserving prairie dog towns as vital sources of early successional grassland and habitat heterogeneity.
... Similarly, in North America, reintroducing bison on tribal lands has provided ecological benefits and cultural revitalization for Native American communities. 112 By restoring ecosystems to a state with high ecological integrity, rewilding initiatives resonate deeply with the cultural and spiritual values of local communities, strengthening ancestral ties to the land. This reconnection with natural heritage enriches cultural identity and promotes a collective commitment to ecosystem preservation. ...
... It now has over 40 signatories who recognize buffalo as a practitioner of conservation, a wild freeranging animal, an important part of the ecological system, and a brother who can lead them in nurturing their lands, plants, and other animals (Buffalo Treaty 2014). Buffalo 'rematriation' by First Nations people on sovereign lands supports food sovereignty and security, spiritual healing, cultural reconnection, education, economic development, and ecological resilience and function (Shamon et al. 2022). In narrower, ecological terms, it is hoped that buffalo reintroductions will promote functional group and plant species richness, heterogeneity in patch structure, compositional diversity, and seed dispersal (McMillan et al. 2019, Ratajczak et al. 2022. ...
In the 1990s, pioneers of rewilding described a bold vision of wilderness connected at the continental scale, with thriving populations of large, wild animals. Much of the resulting discourse has emphasized uninhabited places or has promoted a “hands‐off” approach to environmental management. This clashes with many Indigenous (e.g., First Nations) perspectives and has made rewilding largely irrelevant to Indigenous communities, especially in colonized countries. Yet rewilding can support Indigenous community aspirations for sovereignty, health, and justice. Moreover, Indigenous communities and their traditional ecological knowledge are vital to conservation. We suggest two principles by which rewilding can align with, and support, Indigenous communities: shifting focus from wilderness to the creative agency of wild beings, and framing restoration as a collaborative endeavor between humans and wildlife. As an approach to conservation policy and practice, rewilding should seek opportunities to place Indigenous communities in leadership positions, in terms of both practical restoration and the conceptual reshaping of rewilding itself. We relate two case studies of Indigenous community‐led conservation which exemplify the potential of such an approach: the Buffalo Treaty in North America, and the Lungtalanana Cultural Restoration Project in southern Australia.
... Her research specialization is in the understanding of disputed lands and state-society interaction for the construction of food sovereignty. 35,36 Hannah Wittman ranks second in impact, with her work on food sovereignty cited 173 times in studies on the topic. Her research emphasizes the importance of food sovereignty, agroecological transitions, market stability, and farmers' autonomy as essential elements driving innovation in social welfare programs aimed at addressing malnutrition. ...
The processes of industrialization and overconsumption of natural resources have resulted in significant environmental changes and degradation. Furthermore, the discrepancy between social and economic classes has resulted in the emergence of inequality among social groups. These issues have been further exacerbated by the advent of the global pandemic, with the greatest impact being observed in some nations, which has served to further widen the social and economic gaps. Consequently, world leaders are keen to take action to mitigate these impacts and disparities among different social groups, given that environmental degradation and climate change have a significant impact on human and planetary health. Furthermore, these factors impede the ability of individuals in disadvantaged social groups to exercise their right to food sovereignty. The objective of this article is to identify perspectives on food sovereignty in the context of climate change impacts through a bibliometric analysis. The analysis reveals that climate change research is an emerging field, with the United States playing a significant role in its development. The principal conclusion is that developed countries are primarily concerned with addressing the challenges posed by climate change to food sovereignty. Furthermore, a correlation was identified between regional CO₂ emissions and malnutrition rates, indicating a potential link between environmental degradation and food security.
... Plains bison are a keystone species in North America's grasslands and once occurred in the tens of millions across the continent until they were brought to the brink of extinction in the beginning of the 19th century (Knapp et al. 1999;McMillan et al. 2019). In recent decades, there have been increasing efforts to restore American bison to public, private, and tribal land across North America to improve ecosystem health, spur cultural revitalization, and restore foodways (Shamon et al. 2022a(Shamon et al. , 2022b. While reintroduction efforts aim to fully realize the ecological roles of plains bison, there are gaps in our understanding of how modern management may affect the social organization and collective behavior of these animals, potentially impacting conservation outcomes (Maldonado-Chaparro et al. 2021;Ramos et al. 2021). ...
Species with fission–fusion social organization, where groups break apart and merge over time, show variable subgroup stability. Plains bison (Bison bison bison (Linnaeus, 1758)), a keystone species in North American grasslands, exhibit fission–fusion dynamics. However, it is unclear whether subgroups are stable over time nor whether they are composed of related individuals. We used fine-scale behavioral observations and movement data from GPS ear tags to construct social networks for two plains bison herds over multiple years at American Prairie in north-central Montana. These herds are semi-free roaming and graze year-round in 32.4 and 111.6 km² fenced pastures. While the bison in our study did exhibit fission–fusion behavior, we did not observe stable subgroups in time-aggregated social networks constructed over single growing seasons (eigenvector modularity ranged from −0.008 to 0.027). We used Mantel tests to assess the relationships between association strength and relatedness, age, and place of origin. We found that only first-order relatives were more likely to associate, and shared age and place of origin had no significant impact. The observed lack of stable subgroups challenges prevailing assumptions and highlights the need for future research into the mechanisms of fission–fusion dynamics in plains bison and other managed social species.
... More than 60 tribes across the United States have made significant efforts to restore food security-ensuring food is available and accessible-and food sovereignty, which is the ability to access healthy and culturally appropriate food. For many tribes, achieving these goals is closely linked to the restoration of bison herds on their traditional lands (Shamon et al., 2022). ...
Bison production and bison operations are increasing across the United States. Consumer demand, economic viability, conservation efforts, and support from organizations and agencies are helping to grow the industry.
This technical note is designed to assist NRCS planners and partners collaborating with bison producers. It introduces key terminology and concepts and provides considerations for developing conservation plans and implementing conservation practices for bison. Drawing on a wealth of existing technical documents, research literature, insights from bison stakeholders, and practical experience, this technical note serves as a quick guide for NRCS field offices.
This technical note can also inform producers and raise awareness of available NRCS assistance, and hopes to foster continued collaboration, knowledge exchange, and technical advancements in sustainable practices for bison producers and their industry. To ensure it provides the most current guidance and best available science, this technical note will undergo periodic reviews.
... This situation is typically encountered in low-income countries, but not exclusively. For example, wildlife agencies in North America face constraints when monitoring and managing wildlife (e.g., Caughlan & Oakley, 2001;Sands & Pope, 2010); which is especially true for many Tribal nations (Shamon et al., 2022). ...
Monitoring population trends is pivotal to effective wildlife conservation and management. However, wildlife managers often face many challenges when analyzing time series of census data due to heterogeneities in sampling methodology, strategy, or frequency. We present a three‐step method for modeling trends from time series of count data obtained through multiple census methods (aerial or ground census and expert estimates). First, we design a heuristic for constructing credible intervals for all types of animal counts including those which come with no precision measure. Then, we define conversion factors for rendering aerial and ground counts comparable and provide values for broad classes of animals from an extant series of parallel aerial and ground censuses. Lastly, we construct a Bayesian model that takes the reconciled counts as input and estimates the relative growth rates between successive dates while accounting for their precisions. Importantly, we bound the rate of increase to account for the demographic potential of a species. We propose a flow chart for constructing credible intervals for various types of animal counts. We provide estimates of conversion factors for 5 broad classes of species. We describe the Bayesian model for calculating trends, annual rates of population increase, and the associated credible intervals. We develop a bespoke R CRAN package, popbayes, for implementing all the calculations that take the raw counts as input. It produces consistent and reliable estimates of population trends and annual rates of increase. Several examples from real populations of large African mammals illustrate the different features of our method. The approach is well‐suited for analyzing population trends for heterogeneous time series and allows a principled use of all the available historical census data. The method is general and flexible and applicable to various other animal species besides African large mammals. It can readily be adapted to test predictions of various hypotheses about drivers of rates of population increase.
... By engaging S-TEK and actively participating in niitapitapiiysinni, then sharing a written understanding of human-wildlife interactions, in an ecological sense, this work serves as a methodological case study building on other research in the region (Shamon et al, 2022;Paul et al, 2023, Bruised Head et al, 2023 Credit and verification of tribal sources that contribute to Meyer's findings are vague and generalized via 3rd person interpretation, in effect limiting reproducibility and relevancy for tribal applications of affirmative inquiry. Meyer's (2021) aapiisii research is a stepwise improvement on integration of TEK into wildlife biology; especially considering the vast majority of wildlife research completed in Niitawahsi resembles Brodie (2008). ...
In Niitawahsii–our home territory, the ecoregion of the Siksikaitsitapi–Blackfoot Confederacy, a Traditional Ecological Knowledge Application (TEKA) for socio-ecological research was developed. Aawaaahsskataiks–elders and extant literature identified a need to develop shared understanding regarding strong connections to wildlife niksokowaiks–relatives, through Siksikaitsitapi Traditional Ecological Knowledge (S-TEK). Multistage chain referral sampling, semi-structured interviews and grounded theory coding & analysis from Western science, i.e. Napikowaiks–non-natives’ research methods, were adjusted like to align with kipaitapiwahsinnooni–the Blackfoot paradigm of traditional knowledge; and more generally, Indigenous Research Methods. The result was a rigorous qualitative human-dimension of wildlife research TEKA; for use by Siksikaitsitapi and others interested in cross-cultural socio-ecological understanding. Then, permissions were successfully obtained from Blackfeet Nation and University of Montana Internal Review Boards to conduct research using the developed TEKA with guidance by aawaaahsskataiks. Research questions sought to understand cultural keystone species characteristics and where related characterizations were applied by cross-cultural wildlife managers. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted and resulted in 18 themes and a core concept. Seven salient and rich themes and the core concept represented data that answered the research questions and were appropriate for sharing in a written, non-tribal report of results. Other data reporting will follow principles of data sovereignty governed by Blackfeet Nation IRB.
... 535 For example, there are efforts to reintroduce bison, the largest native herbivore almost eradicated in the late 1800s, as an important asset to rangeland management, food sovereignty, and the cultural identity of indigenous peoples in the United States and Canada. 536 Currently, there are about 420,000 bison grazing public, private, and tribal lands in the United States helping to recover the health of old-growth rangelands. 537 ...
The report explores the complex environmental, social, and economic dimensions that link rangelands and local communities. It describes the important role and untapped potential of pastoralism and extensive livestock management systems to contribute to a just transition, climate resilience, and more equitable rural development, recognising that many of the challenges confronting rangelands originate beyond local communities and are not under their control.
... Ranching includes food sovereignty initiatives that involve animal husbandry, such as the rearing of livestock. A review of efforts by four Northern Great Plains Tribes to restore historical bison herds revealed a variety of economic and cultural approaches (Shamon et al., 2022). Often Tribes possess both a conservation herd, intended to preserve the bison population in the region, and a commercial herd that can be a source of revenue. ...
... These programs are accompanied by efforts to promote the cultural importance of bison, which may include ceremonies, educational opportunities, and donations of meat to local schools. However, bison restoration also faces major challenges such as fragmented land holdings that makes it challenging to maintain large herds, lack of funding, and lack of meat affordability for Tribal members (Shamon et al., 2022). The Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation in South Dakota helps reduce these barriers by training farmers and ranchers in developing bison herds, while also supporting the community by raising chickens for local consumption (Long, 2023). ...
... As a result, urban initiatives tend to be more limited in size and scope. While rural initiatives can encompass farms (Caulfield, 2011), animal rearing (Shamon et al., 2022), and orchards (Lovell et al., 2021), these projects are not typically possible in urban areas, where initiatives tend to be limited to household and community gardens (Women's Environmental Institute, 2015; Miltenburg et al., 2022). For example, working within the confines of limited land availability, the Kalihi Valley `Aina to Table Initiative was able to establish a community garden and planter boxes in an urban area in Hawai'i (Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services, 2011). ...
Indigenous communities in the United States (US) face substantial challenges including health disparities, food insecurity, and cultural disconnection. The Indigenous Food Sovereignty (IFS) movement seeks to address these hurdles through the restoration of traditional foodways in balance with the natural environment. Initiatives aimed at enhancing IFS have proliferated across the US in recent years and are receiving increasing attention from the federal government. While increasing community food production is an important component of IFS, initiatives centered around this goal have received relatively little attention in the literature. A better understanding of current efforts will elucidate the factors underlying their successes and challenges, supporting the development of effective future initiatives. This review characterizes IFS food production initiatives in the US and identifies topics for further research.
