National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

EMBARGOED UNTIL 1:30 PM MDT
April 17, 2008 08-024

Al Nash or Stacy Vallie (307) 344-2015

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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE
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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE HELPS FUND GRAZING RESTRICTION AND BISON ACCESS
AGREEMENT
Deal increases tolerance for bison north of park by removing cattle for 30
years

(Bozeman, MT) - The National Park Service has agreed to provide federal
funds in support of a grazing rights and bison access agreement which will
allow the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) to move forward. The
deal was announced in Bozeman this afternoon by Yellowstone National Park
Superintendent Suzanne Lewis, Church Universal and Triumphant, Inc.,
President Kate Gordon, and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer.

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Mike Mease reports that cattle are gone from CUT property and there is news today that there will be a “historic announcement” tomorrow in Bozeman by Governor Brian Schweitzer and Yellowstone Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis.

What does this mean? I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

Here is an article from the AP in the Billings Gazette:

Deal could limit killing of park bison. Purchase of grazing rights from CUT ranch would create corridor for migrating animals.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

CONTACT: Sarah Elliott 406-444-9725

MEDIA ADVISORY
Governor, Yellowstone Park Superintendent to Make Announcement about
Interagency Bison Management Plan - Tomorrow at Gallatin Airport

(HELENA) - Governor Brian Schweitzer and Yellowstone Park Superintendent
Suzanne Lewis will make a historic announcement about the Interagency Bison
Management Plan tomorrow, Thursday, April 17th at 1:30PM in the conference
room of the Old Terminal Building, north of the control tower at the
Gallatin Field Airport.

WHO: Governor Brian Schweitzer and Yellowstone National Park
Superintendent Suzanne Lewis

WHAT: Announcement about Interagency Bison Management Plan

WHEN: TOMORROW — Thursday, April 17 - 1:30PM

WHERE: Conference Room, Old Terminal Building- North of Control Tower,
Gallatin Field Airport (Between Commercial Terminal and Arlin’s Aircraft)

NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
http://www.nrdc.org

GALLATIN WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION
http://www.gallatinwildlifeassociation.org/

BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2008

Press contact:
Josh Mogerman, NRDC 312/780-7428 or 773/531-5359 (cell)
Glenn Hockett, Gallatin Wildlife Association 406-586-1729
Darrel Geist, Buffalo Field Campaign 406-646-0070

Bison Advocates Proposes a Way Out of Needless Buffalo Slaughter
Call for Governor and buffalo managers to stay out of calving grounds

Livingston, MT (April 10, 2008) - This has been a gruesome year for the buffalo of Yellowstone with nearly one third of the herd killed by state and federal authorities. The 1,465 animals slaughtered represent the largest death toll for Yellowstone’s buffalo since the 19th Century, when the species was nearly wiped off the planet. On the heels of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report critical of the way that bison have been treated, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Buffalo Field Campaign, and Gallatin Wildlife Association have called for the Governor of Montana and administrators of the Interagency Bison Management Plan (IBMP) to immediately put a bold plan in place to stop the slaughter. The plan centers on a specific geographic area west of the park, where the factors that normally cloud the buffalo debate are not present. A moratorium on buffalo slaughter and harassment at Horse Butte will allow the herds time to recover while a more humane management plan can be put into place.

“There is a way out of this senseless slaughter,” said Louisa Willcox, senior wildlife advocate for the NRDC. “I think everyone recognizes that a change is needed here—but the same issues of conflict with cattle and property rights issues always short circuit public debate. Those issues do not apply at Horse Butte. This proposal gives the buffalo a chance to recover while the state and federal authorities get time to look at the criticism from community groups and the GAO report. I am confident we can find a better way to manage these national icons.”

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For Immediate Release
April 10, 2008

EMERGENCY RULE SOUGHT TO STOP PARK SERVICE SLAUGHTER
OF WILD BISON IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Press contacts:
D.J. Schubert, Animal Welfare Institute, (609) 334-1378
Darrell Geist, Buffalo Field Campaign, (406) 646-0070

Online resources: An electronic copy of the petition and additional information can be downloaded at http://www.awionline.org/wildlife/bison/index.htm

(Washington, D.C.) A diverse coalition of tribal, conservation, hunting, animal welfare and wildlife groups, an outfitting business, and concerned citizens from Montana and South Dakota, have filed an emergency rule making petition with the U.S. Department of the Interior seeking to stop the National Park Service from slaughtering wild bison inhabiting Yellowstone National Park and adjoining lands on the Gallatin National Forest in Montana.

Yellowstone is home to America’s only wild bison who have continuously occupied their native habitat.

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BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN (BFC)
P.O. BOX 957
WEST YELLOWSTONE, MONTANA 59758
406-646-0070
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

* PRESS ADVISORY *

RELEASING OF THE BUFFALO SPIRITS CEREMONY
Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe calls for prayer ceremony in Yellowstone National Park April 15, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 4, 2008
Press Contacts:
Rosalie Little Thunder, Seventh Generation Fund’s Tatanka Oyate Project, 605-719-3012 (work), wakinyela@yahoo.com
Darrell Geist, Buffalo Field Campaign, 406-531-9284, z@wildrockies.org
Stephany Seay, Buffalo Field Campaign, 406-646-0070, bfc-media@wildrockies.org
(RAPID CITY, SD & WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT) - Seventh Generation Fund’s Tatanka Oyate Project and Buffalo Field Campaign are honored to share this announcement of a Releasing of the Buffalo Spirits Ceremony to be held in Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday, April 15, beginning at 12:00 noon (MST). The ceremony is open to all, and all are welcome. Following the ceremony, a community meal will be served at the Gardiner Community Center on 206 Main Street. A flyer for distribution and posting is available at http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/buffalospiritceremony.html.

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Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
April 3, 2008
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View BFC Video Footage:
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

* NEW VIDEO! To Protect the Wild Bison
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/aboutus/documentaries.html
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Make a Secure Online Donation to BFC:
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=1807
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Why are they killing the last wild buffalo?
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/issueinbrief.html
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Receive BFC’s updates or press releases.
Send your email address to bfc-media@wildrockies.org with “sub updates” or “sub press release” in the subject line.
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AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2007-2008 Total: 1,356
2007-2008 Slaughter: 1,190
2007-2008 Hunt: 166
2007-2008 Quarantine: 80

Total Since 2000: 3,355*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts
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In this issue:
* Update from the Field
* Agencies & Bison Plan Criticized in GAO Report
* April 15: Releasing of the Buffalo Spirits Ceremony ~ Arvol Looking Horse
* Montana’s New License Plate: Let the Buffalo Roam!
* Help Keep BFC Healthy & Happy: Food & Coffee Donations Needed
* Mother’s Day: Handcrafted Cards for the Buffalo’s Cause
* Summer Volunteer Educators Needed
* NEW! Buffalo Field Campaign Blog!
* Photo of the Week
* Last Words

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* NEWS RELEASE *

GAO INVESTIGATION FINDS FAULT WITH AGENCIES, BISON MANAGEMENT PLAN

For Immediate Release, April 3, 2008
Contact:
Darrell Geist, Buffalo Field Campaign, 406-531-9284, z@wildrockies.org
Stephany Seay, Buffalo Field Campaign, 406-646-0070, bfc-media@wildrockies.org

MONTANA: A U.S. Government Accountability Office report made public April 2nd sharply criticized a slew of federal and state agencies behind the Interagency Bison Management Plan, the governing document responsible for the slaughter of over 3,300 wild American buffalo in and around Yellowstone National Park.

In an April 2 press release, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) and Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) criticized the bison plan as “plagued by deficiencies” and “severely limited” in its ability to protect Yellowstone’s wild bison population.

“The entire process must be reorganized and opened up for oversight by Congress and the public,” Rep. Hinchey said. Rep. Rahall was also quoted as saying: “It has been clear for some time now that the current Interagency Bison Management Plan is not working.”

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Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
March 27, 2008
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View BFC Video Footage:
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org

* NEW VIDEO! To Protect the Wild Bison
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/aboutus/documentaries.html
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Make a Secure Online Donation to BFC:
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?id=1807
——————————
Why are they killing the last wild buffalo?
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org/issueinbrief.html
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Receive BFC’s updates or press releases.
Send your email address to bfc-media@wildrockies.org with “sub updates” or “sub press release” in the subject line.
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AMERICAN BISON ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2007-2008 Total: 1,253
2007-2008 Slaughter: 1,084
2007-2008 Hunt: 166
2007-2008 Quarantine: 63

Total Since 2000: 3,172*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts
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In this issue:
* Update from the Field ~ Women Protest Bison Slaughter Inside Yellowstone
* Comment by April 2 on Horse Butte Bison Trap
* Call In! Schweitzer & Tester on Hartman Radio Show Friday
* VIDEO: Is Elk Slaughter Next? If the Montana Stockgrowers Get Their Way.
* Photo of the Week
* Last Words
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Letter, Statements, & Photos of the Protesters

March 26, 2008

To Superintendent Suzanne Lewis,

The nine hundred plus bison slaughtered this year are clear evidence that the National Park Service has violated its mission statement within Yellowstone National Park. Hazing, capturing, and slaughtering wild bison within Park borders is not wildlife preservation.

Our protest over Park Service actions towards bison will not end until:

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