The RegenNarration Jason Baldes, founder of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (Part 1): From Rock Bottom to Restoration
Last week's episode featured a special on-location recording with Jason Baldes, founder and ED of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, and VP of the InterTribal Buffalo Council. It has drawn some wonderful responses since (thank you!). And again, given the episode was a little over two hours, I thought to release it in two parts this week for those of you who prefer to tune in that way. All the more because the conversation sort of evolved into two distinct parts naturally.
So welcome to Part 1, from where we first meet Jason at the Initiative's HQ, and prepare to head out into the field with the buffalo. We're straight out of the gates with the breaking news here of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe officially and overwhelmingly designating buffalo as wildlife again, with its myriad and profound restorative ramifications - on culture, health, justice, spirit, other wildlife, rivers, land, through to notions of ownership and property. And when the engines are cut about ten minutes in, the air stills and the conversation deepens.
As always, you can browse a list of chapters and navigate that way if you like.
I'll have Part 2 for you in a couple of days, from right amongst the buffalo with some hilarious and profound encounters, from feeding Ruby the orphan buffalo and her little horse mate, to passing by some big bulls, to what ends up being an incredible time face to face with the herd.
Recorded 16 September 2025 at the Wind River Reservation, home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Nations, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in current day Wyoming.
Title image by Olivia Cheng.
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