The Buffalo Return season is underway
Through Tanka Fund’s partnership with The Nature Conservancy and our new release partner, the Minnesota Zoo, our rancher partners have welcomed more Buffalo to their land this month, with additional releases planned for November.
Tanka Fund’s mission is to restore Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies, fostering ecological balance and sustainable agriculture. Partnerships like these are bringing back a vital cultural and economic resource to communities across the country.
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Tanka Fund Welcomes a New Rancher Partner
Jayce and Kassy Doan of Hazelton, ND, have joined Tanka Fund as our newest Native Buffalo rancher partners.
The Doans own Black Leg Ranch, a 17,000-acre spread southeast of Bismarck, ND, where they manage both Buffalo and cattle. Through holistic management, they regenerate the grassland while stewarding native grasslands, cropland, wildlife, and livestock.
Black Leg Ranch has received numerous awards, including:
N.D. Environmental Stewardship Award
Region VII Environmental Stewardship Award
National Environmental Stewardship Award
Inaugural Aldo Leopold Conservation Award
Burleigh County, ND, Soil Health Award
As a living classroom, Black Leg Ranch hosts soil health and grazing tours and workshops.
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10 Years Strong: Celebrating at Black Hills Powwow
Thank you for your incredible support at this year’s Black Hills Powwow (He Sapa Wacipi) in Rapid City, SD!
Hosting our booth at the powwow was especially meaningful as we celebrated the 10th anniversary of Tanka Fund’s launch at this very event. Visitors enjoyed exclusive giveaways, including our anniversary blanket and 2025 calendar featuring Buffalo from our rancher partners. Many took photos with our life-size Buffalo and learned more about our Climate Smart initiative.
We’re grateful to share this journey with you as we continue to restore Buffalo to Native lands, lives, and economies.
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Tanka Impact Podcast: Restoring the Herd
In this episode of Tanka Impact, we speak with Mary Mallinger, a conservation biologist at the Minnesota Zoo. Mary led a key partnership with Tanka Fund and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to release Buffalo onto Native lands.
The episode explores how this project strengthens Native food sovereignty, supports sustainable agriculture, and promotes conservation through community involvement.
Available on:
iHeart Radio
YouTube
Bringing the Buffalo Home: The Climate Smart Program
The third installment of Tanka Fund's video series, Bringing the Buffalo Home, focuses on the Climate Smart Program, which funds sustainable grazing practices for Buffalo and cattle ranchers.
The program supports range planting, native seed restoration, and prescribed burning, promoting carbon sequestration and healthy ecosystems. Funded by a USDA grant, Tanka Fund seeks to recruit 30 participants annually.
Watch the Video
Sacred Storm Buffalo Meat Distribution
In partnership with Sacred Storm Buffalo, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Food Distribution program provided Buffalo meat to Rapid City’s Indigenous community this month.
Sacred Storm processed the meat and donated the labor for distribution. Earlier this year, Tanka Fund and two Native nonprofits acquired the processing plant, officially launching operations in July.
Rancher Spotlight: Dave and Patra Wise
Ranchers Dave and Patra Wise became Tanka Fund partners in 2022. Their ranch, Dancing Crane Ranch, is the oldest historical Native-owned ranch on the Fond Du Lac Reservation in Sawyer, MN.
This month, the Wises received Buffalo through Tanka Fund’s partnership with the Minnesota Zoo and the Department of Natural Resources, building on their first Buffalo delivery in 2022.
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Conference News: First Nations Food Sovereignty Summit
At the First Nations Development Institute Food Sovereignty Summit in Suquamish, WA (Oct. 16-17), Tanka Fund Executive Director Dawn Sherman presented on Buffalo fencing challenges and successes.
The summit featured discussions on food systems, Tribal Sovereignty, and partnerships. Additional Tanka Fund presenters included:
Nick Hernandez, President/CEO of Makoce Agriculture Development
Lucille Contreras, CEO of Texas Tribal Buffalo Project
Dave Wise, Dancing Crane Ranch
Conference News: Texas Bison Association Fall Conference
At the Texas Bison Association 30th Annual Fall Conference in Talco, TX (Oct. 25-26), Dawn Sherman presented “The Grass is Greener: Using Climate Smart Solutions to Increase Market Opportunities.”
The event, held at Tesoro Buffalo Ranch and GP Ranch, included expert talks, hands-on bison workings, and a bison market update.
Funder Spotlight: ButcherBox
ButcherBox’s mission is to make high-quality meat more accessible while supporting farmers, respecting the planet, and promoting diversity and equity.
This year, ButcherBox helped fund Tanka Fund’s 10th Anniversary Video and the series Bringing the Buffalo Home.
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