“Oh, give me a bridge, where the buffalo roam…”
Okay, that’s not how the song goes, but one man has a vision for such a thing.
Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands & Waters and avid cleaner of America’s rivers, wants to see a bridge that gives bison the chance to roam from the Iowa side of the Mississippi River to the Illinois side… and back again. It would be built on an existing Interstate 80 bridge that is currently set to be demolished and replaced. Pregracke doesn’t see the need for the old structure to be demolished when it can be repurposed for something special.
He says, “There were 60 million bison roaming in North America at one time, and then they were decimated down to 3,000. The bison bridge would celebrate the history of the land, but also because it’s one-of-a-kind, I feel like it’s forward-thinking, as well.”
While bison would take over half of the bridge, with an enclosed grassy path from one side to the other, the remaining half would be open to pedestrians and cyclists. It would give the human bridge travelers a chance to see the iconic species up close, yet safely. The small herd of bison would also be able to enjoy a roughly 100-acre preserve surrounding the bridge.
This dreamed up idea is close to becoming a reality. The Illinois and Iowa transportation departments are considering the proposal, and construction could begin within five years.
If approved, Pregracke hopes that the attraction would draw some of the 42,000 people who cross the existing bridge each day. It would be a boon to the Quad Cities – the metro area the bridge connects – and it would also serve as a way to promote the importance of bison and the Mississippi River. Ultimately, he’d like it to become a national park that highlights the history of the river, the prairie, and wildlife.
Bison are a primary focus because of the importance of helping them rebound back to their former glory and improve the ecosystems they once dominated.
The project’s website explains, “Restoring prairie land and repopulating wild bison go together, and efforts to grow native plant and animal populations are improved with the re-introduction of American bison. Integral to Native American culture, tribal leadership has been at the forefront of reintroducing American bison to the landscape.”
Jason Baldes, tribal bison coordinator for the National Wildlife Federation, has joined the project team. Baldes is a member of the Eastern Shoshone and works to restore bison to their traditional lands, while reconnecting them with tribes.
He says, “The bison was known as the life commissary for my grandmas and grandpas. It was food, clothing, shelter, and was also central to our cultural and spiritual belief systems.”
Members of tribes across the country considered the animals integral to their lives. They used every part of the bison not just for food, clothing, and shelter, but also tools, jewelry, and ceremonies. When bison were nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800s, the impacts on tribal life were devastating. The herds that are popping up across the country have been an important step in restoring much of their culture.
Baldes says, “We are finding ways to heal from the atrocities of the past, and buffalo restoration, and the restoration of the foundation of our cultural values and belief systems, is very important to that.”
Article continues below
Our Featured Programs
See how we’re making a difference for People, Pets, and the Planet and how you can get involved!
Bison restoration will also help nature. When they were widespread across prairie ecosystems, their grazing patterns created successional vegetation, impacted natural fire regimes, and provided habitat for insects, birds, and small mammals. The National Park Service says that once more free ranging bison are established in their former lands and left to be wild, we’ll see more of those benefits in today’s prairies.
The team behind the Bison Bridge project is trying to get local support behind the effort, in order to help bring the benefits of species and prairie restoration to the area, as well as to rejuvenate their community. If you’re interested in learning more about the Bison Bridge project and how you can help, you can visit their website.
The post Man Wants to Turn a Soon-to-Be Demolished Bridge Into a Wildlife Crossing for Bison appeared first on The Animal Rescue Site News.
from The Animal Rescue Site News https://ift.tt/2Trp8Fw
Comments
Post a Comment