Term
Summer 2026
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAED: NSEE
Facilitator(s)
Julia Reimer, Rebecca Neal and Karen Moroz
Content Expert
Emily Macaluso
Abstract
For millenia, bison roamed the native prairie by the millions, stretching from the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River, and from Canada down to Texas. This once thriving ecosystem quickly went from thriving to near extinction within a few decades after the arrival of Europeans in North America. The downfall of the bison was a strategic plan devised not only to eliminate bison, but also indigenous peoples and the prairie on which they lived. According to research, both bison and the native prairie are considered to be ecologically extinct, meaning they will never be able to exist as they did pre-colonization. Thanks to early conservation efforts, the bison went from around two dozen head at their lowest population, to over half a million head today. While the full return of bison and the prairie is unlikely, continued restoration and conservation efforts prove to be beneficial in various ways both ecologically and culturally. This project answers the question: How can bison conservation and reintroduction onto native prairie habitat increase land health and restore indigenous cultural importance? This project is a manuscript for a children’s picture book. The manuscript describes the story of a young bison guided by Tatanka, a bison spirit ancestor, who helps the bison realize the significance of the species. Once published, the book will be a tool to teach various topics and standards across multiple subjects and grade levels, as well as spreading awareness to parents and other adults in the lives of children. While the book will be a tool to spread awareness of the topic question to children and adults alike, the manuscript will serve as a guide for others seeking to be published authors.
Project Type
Children's Book Manuscript
Keywords
Environmental Studies, Science, Social Justice, Teachers/ Teaching
Recommended Citation
Peterson, Malaney, "How can bison conservation and reintroduction onto native prairie habitat increase land health and restore indigenous cultural importance?" (2026). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1188.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1188
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects