InterTribal Buffalo Council

10/14/2026

We are excited to announce our October Technical Services Webinar: "Planning for Drought BEFORE It Happens"!

Visit with Tanse Herrmann (South Dakota State Grazing Lands Soil Health Specialist, USDA NRCS) and Emily Rohrer (South Dakota State Rangeland Management Specialist, USDA NRCS) on Friday, October 30th at 9a PT/ 10a MT/ 11a CT/ 12p ET!

Register at the pictured QR code or at the link here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdCCRfPjTTVND08540hNNlZOnbCZqf5zcIhOrdiCDJ220Snag/viewform?usp=dialog

Tanse Herrmann is the South Dakota State Grazing Lands Soil Health Specialist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). He began his career in natural resources after obtaining his bachelor’s degree from South Dakota State University in Agriculture Education. Tanse developed a passion for soil health through relationships with producers who have implemented soil health management decision-making systems on their diversified crop and livestock grazing operations and observing the positive impacts soil health has on yields, animal performance, financial well-being, and overall quality of life. The proof that managing for soil health across the landscape really works lies in the fact that these operators continue to advance their skillsets and grow their operations where the five soil health principles are being intentionally implemented. These same operations are managing resource concerns by treating the source of their problems rather than seeking band-aid type fixes that only temporarily relieve issues. Essentially, he encourages land users to replace spending money with management. These farmers and ranchers are truly growing resilience to adversity by managing their land and pocketbooks on an equal plane while improving their overall quality of life. Tanse is a former SD State FFA officer, South Dakota Agricultural & Rural Leadership alum, and enjoys team roping as well as outdoor recreation with his wife and two children from their small ranch operation near Sturgis, South Dakota.

Emily Rohrer is the South Dakota State Rangeland Management Specialist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Emily serves as the liaison between local and national offices, making national policies make sense for South Dakota rangelands, ranchers, and land caretakers. Her job duties also include training and education for youth, partners, ranchers, and NRCS employees. Emily graduated from South Dakota State University with degrees in agronomy and range science. She grew up on a small farm and ranch operation in Western South Dakota where she discovered her love of the prairie. Emily enjoys traveling with her husband and going on hikes with their dog Buck.

10/07/2026

SAVE THE DATE! 🦬

The ITBC Annual Membership Meeting will be January 5-7, 2027 at the Osage Casino Hotel in Tulsa, Oklahoma!

Registration details are coming soon! Stay tuned and follow our page for updates.

Tag someone who needs to put this on their calendar! We can't wait to see you there!

09/30/2026

Today, NIWRC joins survivors and relatives across in wearing orange, and honoring September 30 as the National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools.🧡

Healing begins with truth. Our lost children and survivors are never forgotten, they remain in our hearts, always.🧡

Wear orange. Amplify voices. Support healing.

Take action with us and support the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. 🪶

09/26/2026

09/17/2026

Reminder!!! Our September Technical Services webinar is TOMORROW, Friday, September 18th at 9a PT/ 10a MT/ 11a CT/ 12p ET! Join us for a webinar on "New Animal Introduction Considerations" before surplus and transfer season begins!

Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdepk4JCNVGKs9iK3xHiDhQHzvewfj5-k4UXO0XBSE_kv8Xqw/viewform?usp=dialog

Hello ITBC Members, Partners, and Supporters,

We are excited to announce our September Technical Services Webinar titled "New Animal Introduction Considerations" featuring Dr. Danielle Buttke, Wildlife Veterinary Epidemiologist from the National Park Service!

This webinar will provide valuable insights for anyone introducing new buffalo to their herd, whether through ITBC's Surplus program or other avenues. We will cover key topics related to translocating buffalo, including the significance of translocations, the DOI culling process, and biosecurity measures (such as quarantine considerations and the importance of using clean trailers).

Join us on Friday, September 18th, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. MT to learn more!

Register at the pictured QR code or at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdepk4JCNVGKs9iK3xHiDhQHzvewfj5-k4UXO0XBSE_kv8Xqw/viewform?usp=dialog

09/16/2026

09/01/2026

Hello ITBC Members, Partners, and Supporters,

We are excited to announce our September Technical Services Webinar titled "New Animal Introduction Considerations" featuring Dr. Danielle Buttke, Wildlife Veterinary Epidemiologist from the National Park Service!

This webinar will provide valuable insights for anyone introducing new buffalo to their herd, whether through ITBC's Surplus program or other avenues. We will cover key topics related to translocating buffalo, including the significance of translocations, the DOI culling process, and biosecurity measures (such as quarantine considerations and the importance of using clean trailers).

Join us on Friday, September 18th, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. MT to learn more!

Register at the pictured QR code or at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdepk4JCNVGKs9iK3xHiDhQHzvewfj5-k4UXO0XBSE_kv8Xqw/viewform?usp=dialog

09/01/2026

A major buffalo homecoming is underway, and Tribal Nations are helping lead it.

In 2026, Yellowstone National Park transferred 211 live bison to the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana, the largest annual transfer yet through the park’s Bison Conservation Transfer Program.

The program provides an alternative to slaughter for eligible Yellowstone bison. Animals must clear required brucellosis testing before being transferred to Fort Peck for additional assurance testing. From there, some bison can later be distributed through the InterTribal Buffalo Council to other Tribal Nations.

Since 2019, more than 600 Yellowstone bison have been transferred to 29 Tribes across 13 states and one Canadian province. The broader movement extends beyond Yellowstone as well. The National Park Service says it has transferred nearly 10,000 live bison from park-managed herds to Tribes over the past 30 years.

The Nature Conservancy also reports that its partnerships with the InterTribal Buffalo Council, Tanka Fund, and Indigenous communities have returned nearly 3,000 buffalo from 11 conservation herds to Native Nations and communities since 2020.

For many Indigenous Nations, buffalo are tied to food systems, ceremony, language, community responsibilities, and traditional knowledge. Restored herds can also support grassland stewardship and strengthen Tribal food sovereignty after generations in which buffalo were nearly eliminated from much of their historic range.

For the Fort Peck Tribes and many other Native Nations, these transfers are part of a long, careful process of bringing buffalo back to lands and communities where they have deep cultural and ecological significance.

What does seeing buffalo return to Tribal lands mean to you?



Sources: National Park Service; The Nature Conservancy; Greater Yellowstone Coalition; Park County Environmental Council

08/27/2026

📢 NOW HIRING: Technical Service Provider (TSP)

The InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC) is seeking a Technical Service Provider (TSP) to join our team in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Interested in joining ITBC and supporting our work with Tribal Nations and buffalo restoration?

Apply through Indeed to view the full job description, qualifications, and benefits.

You may also submit your resume and cover letter to [email protected]

Apply Here: https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=f9cab9c04595cd98&from=shareddesktop_copy