Bison Project and Land Update Fall 2021
We have some exciting news regarding our base of operations in South Dakota USA. An additional 31.6 acres of land that is directly adjacent to our current property has come available to purchase. Before the 1970s this land was originally part of the location that currently supports the Bison Project and the in-person camps provided by HMS in the Black Hills. It has been held in a family trust and has never been available until now. Due to several factors including the opportunity to expand our bison herd, the possibility to hold larger teaching camps and ceremonies, and the protection of the ecology in a bigger way, we have decided to purchase this land!
After a few weeks of going back and forth with the current landowners, we have settled on a price which is reasonable – especially considering the current market in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The land needs tending, fencing and water access to make it viable for the bison herd and the camps which was factored into our offer. Durable fences, gates, and accessible water are critical to good bison management!
The main duty of any bison manager is to tend the land - which not only is good for the bison but incredibly supportive to the entire ecosystem. Holistic grassland management, which includes rotational grazing, supports not just healthy grass (bison’s primary food) but also soil retention, surface and groundwater flow, and even CO2 sequestering. A healthy bison herd reflects healthy land management. By having more acreage, we will be able to have a larger herd rotating through sections of land in a way which prevents over or under grazing – supporting the soil microbiome, insects, large/small mammals and birds. We are excited to have a greater opportunity to improve and increase the wellbeing of the local ecosystem.
A message from Salvatore Gencarelle:
On a more spiritual note, the teachings and wisdom lineages that are the spine of Helpers Mentoring Society are incredibly practical. One aspect of the pragmatic wisdom traditions is the ways it guides humanity to be stewards of the environment. Ecological stewardship can be expressed in many ways physically, but absolutely must include supporting the environment and all beings through prayers and love. Every ceremony we conduct on this land includes prayers for all our natural relatives and questions for guidance on how to be good stewards.
Each year, as part of my Vision Quest, I pray for the natural world and seek guidance from the spirit of the animal nations. The collective consciousness of the animal nations reveals much information about how to be a supportive human ally to nature, the Powers of Creation, and the life force energy. Humanity’s healing and the health of the land are inseparable. This has always been a truth - a truth that we can relearn now and come to know how to be a connected human being. I will be speaking about this more in my next blog about my annual Vision Quest.
As we expand the land we holistically manage here in the sacred Black Hills, I want to expand my invitation to you all to come connect to the land, the ancestors, the bison, all the animals, and the living spirit – in support of your own personal, community and ecological healing journey. There is much to experience and know.
