Relocated bison herd aims to bring food security to Metis in northern Alberta
listen to this article
approx 3 minutes
The audio version of this article has been generated by AI-based technology. There may be mispronunciations. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve results.
The crunching sound of hooves against metal and snow amid a brutal blizzard on a Metis-run farm in northeastern Alberta.
One by one, 20 shaggy-haired wood bison were moved from a metal shipping container into a fenced-in section of the boreal forest. There were hugs, cheers and high-fives as the herd disappeared into the swirling snow.
It was the first bison stampede, albeit controlled, on the Willow Lake Metis Nation in nearly 120 years.
About 30 elders and leaders of the community welcomed the herd, which was transferred from Elk Island National Park. The herd now lives on a farm run by the Métis community near Anzac Village, about 50 kilometers south-east of Fort McMurray.
“It’s very nice and humbling … very beautiful to see. I’m glad I’m a part of it,” said Robert Cree, an elder from the nearby Fort McMurray 468 First Nation.
“I’m glad they’re back home. There used to be buffalo here years ago. My grandfather used to talk about it. I’m glad they’re back on our traditional land.”
‘Bringing Wood Bison Back to Wood Buffalo’
Métis leaders say the opening of the farm is a historic milestone for the indigenous community and the animals. Trapper Kyle Whitford, who serves as an indigenous protector for the Willow Lake Métis Nation, says the herd is a win for food sustainability.
“It’s bringing wood bison back to wood buffalo,” Whitford said. “I’m very excited and very relieved now that they have their own home, which they will love and enjoy because we built it with love.”
The herd is part of Willow Lake’s $50 million, multi-year food sustainability plan. The bison will live on 16 hectares of the 82-hectare farm, which will eventually have chickens, bees, greenhouses, hydroponics and a community garden.
“This is a really valuable start for our agriculture and tourism business, as well as helping us gain the sovereignty to be able to impact our environment,” said Matthew Micetti, who leads government and industry relations for Willow Lake.
Long-term cultural and tourism plans include an indigenous healing walk, partnerships with schools and the construction of a visitor centre.
Willow Lake Métis Nation President Stella Lovely is excited that the elders will bring their expertise to the bison harvest, which will provide immediate food for Métis families while also providing important skills to younger generations.
Willow Lake director Feather Bourke-Jenner said the project will help reduce the cost of food and living in the North.
“Part of this is bringing our lifestyle back into our daily lives in a more sustainable way,” he said.
Nathaniel Ostashevsky, who owns Cyrus Bison, more than 400 kilometers south in Bonnyville, Alta., is advising Willow Lake on animal husbandry. He estimates the herd will continue to grow.
The lush moisture of neighboring Lake Gregoire and the long northern summer sunshine stimulate plant growth, he said.
The animals themselves will transform the muskeg into a living plain as their sharp hooves aerate the soil and reintroduce moisture and nutrients. Even the hairs of their coats will be used by birds and rodents in nests and burrows.
He said, “If bison thrive in Alberta, so be it. It’s much better for all of us.”
The Willow Lake Metis Nation has reintroduced 20 bison to their lands, marking the first time in 100 years that the animals have roamed the area. As CBC’s Jamie Malbeuf reports, it’s a step toward food sovereignty for the nation.
