88 



The restoration of buffalo has renewed hope in many tribal mem- 

 bers and has inspired the Tribe to develop an overall prairie man- 

 agement plan. 



This prairie management plan was developed by an interdiscipli- 

 nary team of tribal, federal, and environmental representatives, 

 and presents a dramatic departure from control of prairie dogs by 

 poisoning. 



It also covers 2.8 million acres of prairie encompassed by reserva- 

 tion boundaries. 



The primary goal of this prairie management plan it to allow 

 prairie dogs, buffalo, black-footed ferrets, eagles, and many other 

 wildlife species to coexist with livestock production and incorporate 

 management techniques that are directed at multiple use. 



This alternative plan to poisoning prairie dogs will restore, en- 

 hance, and maintain the prairie ecosystem for the benefit of our fu- 

 ture generations. 



However, in order to implement these plans, adequate funding is 

 absolutely essential, but currently unavailable. Although we have 

 enjoyed widespread support fi-om the BIA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife 

 Service, and several environmental groups, as well as the House 

 Appropriations Committee, and responded to the congressional di- 

 rective to develop an alternative plan to poisoning, we have yet to 

 receive funding. 



Because the BIA lacks funding, and the tribe is ineligible for the 

 funding granted to states by the Endangered Species Act, or the 

 FedergQ Aid in Fish and Wildlife Restoration Acts, this project can 

 only be conducted with the support of Congress through special ap- 

 propriations or other legislative action. 



Our current management enhancement efforts illustrate the fact 

 that all federal fish, wildlife, and recreational legislation and aid 

 that exists today has systematically excluded tribal governments 

 from the funding mechanisms that would allow implementation of 

 these culturally sensitive and environmentally sound management 

 objectives. 



Our attempts to receive funding through the Endangered Species 

 Act and the Federal Aid Programs to states have been strongly op- 

 posed by the states, who believe that making these funds available 

 to tribes would diminish the availability of their funds, and thus 

 threaten their management capability and control. 



We therefore need a funding mechanism that allows funds to be 

 distributed directly to tribal governments, rather than expanding 

 the federal agencies to carry out these management functions, 

 which tends to perpetuate tribal dependence on our federal govern- 

 ment. 



As the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes Bison Enhancement Project 

 illustrates, buffalo can and are being successfully utilized by tribes 

 as a culturally sound focal point in the restoration and enhance- 

 ment of reservation ecologies. 



A cooperative plan for restoring buffalo on tribal lands is being 

 coordinated by the Inter-Tribal Bison Cooperative, which is an or- 

 ganization consisting of 24 member tribes. 



This cooperative effort to restore bison on Indian reservations is 

 aimed at restoring the reservation ecologies in a manner that is 

 both acceptable and appreciated by respective tribal members. 



