Bison
In 2008, the Belwin Conservancy introduced bison to our prairies for the first time and in 2009, due to the interest that they garnered the previous year, we constructed an observation platform to view the bison and the prairie.
Why Bison?
For the Belwin Conservancy, bison are an integral part of our prairie restoration work. They are as much a part of the prairie as are the grasses and wildflowers. They way they work the landscape with their hooves, forage out unwanted plants and spread seeds cannot be replicated. The Belwin Conservancy had long sought to restore bison to our land prior to doing so for the first time in 2008. Since their reintroduction, we have seen marked differences in the prairie's makeup.
One of the other motivations behind bringing bison to the Belwin Conservancy is education. Although they have largely disappeared from this area, bison were once an integral part of this landscape. As might be expected, bison are extremely well-suited to this environment and with very little assistance, they thrive given only native prairie. We firmly believe that bison raised in this manner is one of the most sustainable varieties of agriculture. They need almost nothing from us to thrive and they do good for the prairie which in turn supports any number of other native wildflowers and birds. Not only that but bison meat raised in this manner is some of the healthiest available anywhere.
Visiting the Bison
Visiting the bison is easy and fun. With help from Kowalski's Markets, the James Ford Bell Founation, the Eagle and the Hawk Foundation and our members, we constructed a 20-foot tall observation platform from which you can get a panoramic view of the prairie and the bison in it. Bring your binoculars!
You are encouraged to stop by as often as you like to check in and see how the bison and the prairie change each other over the course of the sumer. The bison will be removed in the fall and the observation platform closed for the winter.
The tower is connected by a fenced corridor to a six-foot tall deck which is located in the parking area on Division Street. This deck provides a view that is accessible to those who do not want to climb the tower or are not able to. We plan to construct a wheelchair ramp making the deck accessible.
Rules
- The observation platform is only open from 8 AM to 7 PM.
- The gates to the parking area lock automatically at 8 AM and 7 PM. Plan ahead and depart ahead of time so you are not locked inside.
- The observation platform is only open during the summer months.
- Park only in the designated mowed parking area.
- Bison viewing from the fence-line along Division Street or Stagecoach Trail is not permitted.
- Please respect our neighbors and do not drive down Division Street to view the bison.
- Bison are gentle creatures however when visiting the animals, please do not disturb them.
Prairies with bison
Bison Buggy
In 2010 we introduced our new Bison Buggy, a vehicle custom build by the Belwin Conservancy to tour the bison and the larger Belwin Conservancy preserve. The Buggy seats 8 adults and provides a comfortable and fun way to tour the Belwin Conservancy and visit the bison.
We offer Supporting members and above (Belwin Conservancy members who give at least $100,) Bison Safaris held on the Bison Buggy. Upcoming Bison Safaris and other events taking place on the Bison Buggy are listed on our events page. If you are not a Supporting member of the Belwin Conservancy, you can join right now, for as little as $8 a month!
NorthStar Bison
We are proud to be a partner with NorthStar Bison in this endeavor. NorthStar is a family-owned ranch based in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. They raise all of their animals exclusively on native prairie grass and market their product at local retailers including Kowalski's. NorthStar owns and manages the herd at the Belwin Conservancy and we in turn get the benefit of having bison on our prairie.
NorthStar Bison is comitted to raisisng all of their animals entirely on grass, utilizing nativie prairie as much as possible. Bison meat raised in this manner is among the healthiest meat available. It is lower in fat and higher in omega-3 fatty acids than beef, bison raised on grain (as 95% is) or even chicken.
For More Information
If you are interested in bison and the prairie, we highly recommend that you read Buffalo for the Broken Heart by Dan O'Brien. Dan is a South Dakota rancher, biologist and spoke at our 2008 release. He is one of the nation’s foremost experts on bison reintroduction and Buffalo for the Broken Heart comes highly recommended for anyone looking more information about bison and their impact on the land.