Lunchtime Expedition: Bountiful Bison and the Big Sky
Join Dr. Shane Doyle, Director of Indigenous Right Relations for North America, the Caribbean, and Micronesia at The Nature Conservancy, for a special Buffalo Nation-themed Lunchtime Expedition lecture in the Coe Auditorium at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
American bison are one of the most iconic wild animals on the planet and have represented North America as our country’s National Mammal for over a decade. They serve an ecological role as a keystone species on the American prairie, and they are the foundational center of the historic and extraordinary Plains Indian way of life. In the 21st century they have proven to be resilient beacons of strength and hope. The Nature Conservancy is coming to know the significance of working with bison alongside Native communities and this is why in 2022 we began returning animals from our herds back to Tribally stewarded lands at no cost to Tribes. Dr. Shane Doyle will reflect the history and evolution of The Nature Conservancy’s commitment to restoring bison to Indigenous lands across the continent, and discuss the organization’s vision for the future of bison restoration.
Dr. Shane Doyle (Apsaalooké) is a community and environmental advocate who hails from Crow Agency, MT. Dr. Doyle currently serves as the North America Indigenous Right Relations Director for The Nature Conservancy, as well as the executive director of Yellowstone Peoples, an Indigenous nonprofit that supports and organizes an annual Intertribal Tipi Village event in Yellowstone Park. In his role for The Nature Conservancy, Shane works across the U.S. and Canada to help guide and support a Bison Restoration Program, as well as collaborating with partners to orchestrate Land Return to Tribal communities. Shane lives in Bozeman with his wife Megkian, and their 5 children; Florence, Ruby, Lilian, Blake and Quanah.