Oglala Sioux Back Away from Bison Reserve Plan

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — The Oglala Sioux Tribal Council has backed away from a plan to force cattle ranchers from their leased lands for a 100,000-acre bison reserve in the South Unit of Badlands National Park in southwestern South Dakota.

Ranchers had criticized a June ordinance that revoked grazing leases on 10 parcels within and near the boundaries of the South Unit. The Rapid City Journal reports that the council rescinded the ordinance late last week.

The tribe and the National Park Service are working on making the South Unit of Badlands National Park into the nation's first tribal national park. The planned Stronghold Buffalo Unit was part of that plan.

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