Wild Bison Reference Project

From Wildbison

Revision as of 19:28, 6 August 2006

A Collaborative Bibliography for the Conservation, Management and Advocacy of Wild Bison

Though driven nearly to extinction in the 19th century, wild bison can still be found in various public and private conservation herds around Canada and The US. The management of these herds is an issue that involves a wide variety of stake-holders; government agencies, tribal organizations, NGOs, citizens groups, industry and local residents. The elements associated with managing wild bison have created considerable conflict over the years, especially in and around Yellowstone National Park. The purpose of this project is to create a comprehensive bibliography of scientific literature related to the North American bison, it's habitat and management. It is hoped that this tool can be used to facilitate a more collaborative approach to the policy and management process and ensure a bright future of wild bison in North America. Though greatly assisted by Buffalo Field Campaign, the purpose of this project is not to present a specific political opinion regarding the management of wild bison, but to provide a tool that can be used by all stake-holders to craft wiser management solutions. File:Snowy buffalo.jpg

Using This Website

The Wild Bison Reference Project website uses software called MediaWiki. A Wiki is a type of website that allows for easy editing by any number of participants without the need to register as a user. This allows for greater collaboration. There are a few basis tags to learn when using a Wiki, though it is not as complicated as HTML, and for the purposes of this project, does not require a high degree of computer literacy to use. Please refer to the help page to learn more about the format of this website.

In a nutshell though, if you wish to enter references into this website, click on either Collected Bibliography A-L or Collected Bibliography M-Z, and once there, click on the edit tab at the top of the page. Insert your reference alphabetically within the listing. You can also add your reference to the corresponding sub-categories if you wish, or just enter your references into the main list and allow other participants to sort the list.

If you'd like to contribute a bit more time to the project, you can sort references into proper categories or help find/create weblinks for online literature. Use the dissussion tabs at the top of each page to discuss each page. Please read and use these discussion pages (each page on this site has it's own discussion page) if you have any concerns with the format, with my choice of references or any questions about the project.

This is collaborative project, with the goal of involving as many stake-holders in wild bison issues as possible. Guidelines for this project are still being formulated, and everyone is invited to participate in the creation and evolution of this project.