Tanka Fund Introduces New Video Series: "Bringing the Buffalo Home"
The first episode of Bringing the Buffalo Home focuses on the next generation of young Native Buffalo ranchers and Tanka Fund's efforts to recruit and support them. Through training and partnerships, the fund assists young rancher partners like Brendan Siers of Double S Ranch in expanding Buffalo operations, emphasizing the economic, cultural, and ecological benefits of revitalizing Buffalo ranching among Native communities.
This series follows our recent video celebrating Tanka Fund’s first 10 years, The Buffalo Return: A Decade of Healing and Renewal.
View New Video: Bringing the Buffalo Home: The Next Generation of Young Native Ranchers
View Previous Video: The Buffalo Return: A Decade of Healing and Renewal
Expanding Horizons: Tanka Fund Boosts Rangeland and Agricultural Monitoring
Soil and land health are a major focus for Tanka Fund’s Buffalo rancher partners, who work continuously to restore and sustainably manage their land for the benefit of their herds.
Two staff members from our Climate Smart program were recently trained in certified rangeland and agricultural monitoring.
“We aim to offer these capabilities as a permanent tool to all of our rancher partners,” said Dawn Sherman, Executive Director. “Our goal is for Tanka Fund’s rancher partners to have access to the most current data about the health of their land.”
Read More and See Photos: Tanka Fund Works to Expand Ability to Perform Rangeland and Agricultural Monitoring
Tanka Fund Heads Toward $300,000 Goal for 2024
We are excited to announce that we are on our way to reaching our 2024 goal of $300,000 in direct donations! Help spread the word so we can surpass this target.
Your donation helps us with efforts such as returning additional Buffalo, providing farming infrastructure like fencing and water lines, making payments for leased land, feeding the Buffalo, and offering technical expertise and assistance.
Reminder: Donate $500 or more to receive our 2nd Tanka Fund Limited Edition Collectible Blanket. No donation is too small!
Donate Now: Support Tanka Fund
Tanka Fund 10-Year Anniversary Celebration Set for Oct. 11-13
We are celebrating 10 years of Tanka Fund at the Black Hills Powwow, the location of our initial launch. The event takes place Oct. 11-13 at Summit Arena at the Monument in Rapid City, SD.
Join us at our booth for giveaways and a chance to take a photo with our life-size Buffalo! More details coming soon.
See Video: 10-Year Celebration
Tanka Fund Interns Make Significant Contributions to Buffalo Conservation and Climate Smart Initiatives
Our 2024 interns are wrapping up their 12-week internships as range technicians in our Climate Smart program. We are excited to share some of their outstanding contributions to Tanka Fund this summer.
Interns Nicole Cournoyer, Skylar Pogue, and Sky Seeing Leading Fox worked closely with range ecologists Zintkala Eiring and Janét Moore. Each intern chose an independent research project:
Nicole Cournoyer: Harmony in the Grasslands: Bison and Producers Creating a Sustainable Future
Skylar Pogue: Raising Grasses, Not Bison
Sky Seeing Leading Fox: Restoring Buffalo and Restoring Communities
You can find the full story, research papers, and presentation videos here.
Correction
In the July newsletter, we misidentified the name of the North American Bison Discovery Center in the story about our COO Arnell D. Abold being named to the Center's board.
More Info on the Center: North American Bison Discovery Center
Rancher Spotlight: Wayne and Alex Frederick
Wayne Frederick, a seventh-generation rancher from the oldest tribal family-run ranch in Todd County, SD, brings 37 years of experience in Buffalo management. He and his wife Alex run their ranch, RezRaised, on the Rosebud Reservation and are transitioning from cattle to Buffalo after welcoming their first herd last year with support from Tanka Fund and The Nature Conservancy.
See Video: Wayne and Alex Frederick’s Journey
Tanka Fund in the News!
Missed the coverage of the Sacred Storm Buffalo grand opening? Check out the KOTA-TV video and the Native Sun News story linked below. Thanks to all the news outlets supporting our work!
Press Coverage: Sacred Storm Grand Opening
Partnership Details: Why Tanka Fund Partnered on the Plant
Executive Director to Present at Food Sovereignty Summit
Tanka Fund Executive Director Dawn Sherman will be speaking about our work to return Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies at the 2024 Food Sovereignty Summit, Oct. 16-17, in Suquamish, WA.
Hosted by the First Nations Development Institute, the summit will feature tribal community leaders actively involved in food sovereignty, land care, and strengthening Tribal Sovereignty.
Read More: Tanka Fund at the Food Sovereignty Summit
Funder Spotlight: The Windrose Fund
Tanka Fund partner, The Windrose Fund of the Common Counsel Foundation, is committed to building trust-based relationships. Their work is grounded in the understanding that healing people and the land are interconnected.
The Windrose Fund primarily focuses on North America, with a particular emphasis on the Dakotas, Southwest, and Northern Canada, though they also support work internationally.
More Info: Windrose Fund
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