Tribes say they are able to co-manage the Bison Range

For centuries Native Americans managed the bison ranges before the arrival of Europeans and they are now ready to take back the responsibility of being the stewards of the lands as their ancestors did.

The Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribe (CSKT) and the United States Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials presented to the public a question and answer session this week to solidify public understanding of the controversial proposal.

Under the proposal, the tribes would take responsibility for activities in five categories- management, biological programs, habitat management, fire programs and maintenance and visitor services.

Head of Natural Resources for the CSKT Clayton Matt says the responsibility for the management of the Bison Range should have no effect on non-tribal members who may own private property near the range.

"The implementation and execution of this AFA will not have an effect on private owners," said Matt, (who is a distant relation to Tribal Chairman Fred Matt). "There will be no surprises. We have managed our resources to the best of our ability for centuries and will continue to do so."

Matt said the refuge manager, Steve Kallin of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, would retain final responsibility and authority for directing and controlling the operation of the National Bison Range.

"Kallin clearly has a lot of experience with FWP," said Matt. "We have met a few times and it will be that relationship building that will make this plan successful.

The process of gaining stewardship of the Bison Range is part of the self-governing policies that have been in place for many years.

"We have been practicing self-governing for thousands of years," said Matt. "We have for centuries had leaders who have always kept the best interest of the people, both present and future, and the Tribes and USFWP have come to an agreement to implement and fit right into that."

Questions raised at the first meeting in Polson last week addressed current jobs and the price of the program.

"The AFA clearly explains options employees have," said Matt. "They will have their own decision to make with regard to how that will go. No one will be laid off and the AFA says nothing about people losing their jobs."

People at the Polson meeting were confused that the issues regarding costs of the program were not cleared up, although some supported the program.

Peter Pelissier of Yellow Bay said it was a poor job in having a presentation on funding the program with no hard numbers involved in the AFA.

Rick Coleman, assistant regional director for refuges for the Fish and Wildlife Service, answered most questions about funding. "The agency has estimated costs and calculated those number but they are not yet available to the public or the Confederated Salish and Kootenai.

The original thrust for the national movement for the preservation of the buffalo began with the American Bison Society in 1905. In 1907, attention was centered on lands within the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana because they were about to be opened and offered for sale. The National Bison Range was established in 1908 at the request of President Theodore Roosevelt and was created by an act of Congress.

Tribal member Jerry Brown wrapped up the true purpose of the AFA in his comments to the FWP and CSKT.

"The USFWP knows the tribes are just as good as they are in managing the lands," said Brown. "We are just as competent. Right now the tribe contracts $328 million on an annual basis and that's nothing to sneeze at. We've had many non-Indians work for the tribe for years. Our people are higher qualified than those they have at the USFWP and they know it. For once we are getting our dignity back. We've played this game so long we've lost sight of the fact that no one really owns this land; we are the stewards of the land and always have been. This step we are taking forward will only bring more cultural pride to our children. It will keep our stories of buffalo hunts alive."