The
future for any restoration of public, wild bison in Montana could be
extinguished by the 2021 state legislature. Similar attempts have
occurred in the past; but were vetoed by our governors. However,
Montana will have a new governor in 2021.
Once
the legislature convenes, it is too late for informed public
discussion of the issues. It is therefore imperative to stimulate
bison restoration as an issue in 2020 election campaigns. Readers are
encouraged to broach the issue at public forums and in letters to
editors of newspapers, to encourage other conservation organizations
to take a stand, and to contact candidates of both parties to address
the issue of bison restoration.
Justifications
for bison restoration on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife
Refuge are abundant and diverse. See them throughout this website.
However, in most situations, it will be necessary to initiate
communication with a brief, pointed message. Please consider this
example, written as a letter to a candidate for Montana office:
Candidate,
Aside
from seasonal visitors from Wyoming, Montana has no public-trust wild
bison herd. (See more at mtwildbison.org.)
Yet
the Montana Constitution mandates remedies for unreasonable depletion
of natural resources, provisions to restore historic, scientific,
cultural and recreational objects for use and enjoyment by the
people, and preserving the opportunity to harvest wild game.
Montana
law (MCA 87-1-216) provides guidelines for restoring public bison
with a contained herd while protecting private property and
resources.
Three
polls have indicated that 70 percent of Montana voters support
restoring public, wild bison on the Charles M. Russell National
Wildlife Refuge.
If
you are elected to a position with responsibilities to uphold the
Montana Constitution, will you support restoration of a sizeable
public-trust bison herd on a substantial but contained landscape,
such as the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge?
So
far, the candidates have been ignoring environmental issues. Getting
our concern into the election dialogue will be difficult. But silence
is unacceptable. Please join us in this effort. Together, we can stir
the pot.
Jim Bailey
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