Lost Tracks

Lost Tracks: Buffalo National Park 1909-1939 is a "must read" for any bison enthusiast with an interest in the history of bison conservation in Canada. In this book, Jennifer Brower describes in clear and concise form the history of the establishment of Buffalo National Park in Wainwright and its significance in the protection of plains bison in Canada. While attempts have been made to pull this story together, none have been as well researched and presented as Lost Tracks. -- Wes Olson, former Park Warden, Elk Island National Park

Sheds light on the history of Canada's national parks, bison recovery efforts, and environmental thought in the first half of the twentieth century.While contemporaries and historians alike hailed the establishment of Buffalo National Park in Wainwright, Alberta as a wildlife saving effort, the political climate of the early 20th century worked against it. The Canadian Parks Branch was never sufficiently funded to operate BNP effectively or to remedy the crises the animals faced as a result. Cross-breeding experiments with bison and domestic cattle proved unfruitful. Attempts at commercializing the herd had no success. Ultimately, the Department of National Defence repurposed the park for military training and the bison disappeared once more.