Bison Belong Here
Appalachia Rising is directly contributing to this project.
The Appalachian Rekindling Project is working to bring bison home, and their next step is to build a fence on their land so bison can be safely reintroduced. Not long ago, this land in Eastern Kentucky was slated for a federal prison. But the Appalachian Rekindling Project had other plans.
This land is the ancestral homeland of multiple Indigenous Tribes, who lived in these hills long before colonization. They hunted here, held ceremonies here, and lived in deep relationship with this land. Now, we are preparing the land for the return of bison, a relative that the area has missed.
Native to this region, bison shaped the landscape and sustained the people who lived with them. They are a keystone species. Their return is more than restoration. It is a living act of healing, memory, and renewal. With their help, we can restore the soil, protect the other pieces of the ecosystem on the site, and restore a harm that was done to Indigenous communities when the bison were removed.
For Indigenous people, whose ancestors lived, hunted, and held ceremony here, the return of the bison carries deep cultural and spiritual meaning. This will be a place where they can come see the land, see the herd, and reconnect with cultural practices related to their care.
The Appalachian Rekindling Project is raising $110,000 to build the fence and other infrastructure that will make this possible. This fence isn’t just a structure. It’s the foundation for everything that comes next.