BUFFALO BEYOND BORDERS

QUICK LINKS

our team

What we do

Committees

What we're working on

Events & Announcements

Join Us!

Register for the 2026 Gathering in San Antonio, TX

Gathering Details

Where:

Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk
105 S St. Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX

When:

April 13–17, 2026
(Please see the Agenda Overview Below)

What to Expect:

This gathering, in partnership with the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project, represents a powerful convergence of place, lineage, and living systems. By bringing together Indigenous leaders, partners, scientists, policy advocates, and relatives to reconnect with buffalo, land, and one another, we aim to move shared work forward. Together, this time offers space not only for strategy, but for remembrance, repair, and renewed relationship that sustain both people and the lands we care for.

Together, we will explore what it means for the spirit of the buffalo to move beyond borders through coordinated actions in science, policy, and narrative change, grounded in Indigenous-led leadership and lived experience.

Gathering Design

To support deeper connection and collective momentum, there is a single registration option, and we ask participants to plan to attend for the full duration of the week.

Rather than centering reports and presentations, this gathering will emphasize strong facilitation, active participation, and collaborative problem-solving. Sessions are designed to be engaging, relational, and action-oriented, with the goal of leaving San Antonio with shared commitments and next steps for buffalo restoration.

We also approach this gathering as a ceremony for the buffalo, a time to call in our boldest visions, honor the land and our relatives, and feel the support of the earth holding us all.

Registration & What’s Included

Monday Evening Welcome Reception
Lunches throughout the Gathering
Coffee and Refreshments
Field trip and roundtrip transportation to the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project herd in Floresville, located at their recently rematriated 150-acre ranch.
Field Trip Highlights:
Tipi Talks
Buffalo Harvest
(The meat from the harvest will be going to the mothers in the Meat for Mamas Program and the San Antonio Health Equity Network.)
Registration and transportation for the Floresville field trip are fully included in the Buffalo Beyond Borders registration and are a central part of the gathering, not an optional add-on. Donations to the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project are welcomed and appreciated, and tickets can be purchased here.

Agenda Overview

– We ask participants to plan to attend for the full duration of the week. –

Day 1 (Travel Day) – Monday, April 13

Arrival + Welcome

6pm – 9pm | Drury Plaza Riverwalk Hotel

Welcome Reception at the Hotel – Rio Grande Ballroom
Food, Art, Dance and Community Connection

Day 2 – Tuesday, April 14

Grounding + Shared Purpose

9am – 5pm | Drury Plaza Riverwalk

Opening and Welcome
Why We Are Here & Where We Are Now
Narrative, Policy and Science Facilitated Sessions

Day 3 – Wednesday, April 15

Field Day Offering at Texas Tribal Buffalo Project

9am – 5pm | Floresville

Bus Transportation from the Hotel (provided)
Welcome and Honoring the Land
Buffalo Harvest with the Health Equity Network
Tipi Talks and Guided Tours

Day 4 – Thursday, April 16

Building Momentum for the Herd + Closing

9am - 6pm | Drury Plaza Riverwalk

Facilitated Discussions creating a united purpose and action, challenging borders and barriers of the Buffalo Movement
Developing Actionable Next Steps
Closing Ceremony

Day 5 (Optional) – Friday, April 17

Facilitator & Leadership Sessions

9am - 12pm | Drury Plaza Riverwalk

Lightning Round Presentations

We are excited to open a call for Lightning Round Presentations.

Share your buffalo-related work, research, or stories in our Lightning Round. These short presentations are designed to highlight ideas in a fast-paced, low-pressure format. Each speaker will have up to 5 minutes to present. While there won’t be a Q&A after each talk, we’ll have dedicated time afterward for networking and one-on-one conversations.

We encourage you to bring your ideas, your work, and your vision into this shared space.

Lightning Round Sign-up

Photo by: Jordan Vonderhaar

Who We Are

We are a community of professionals committed to the biocultural restoration of buffalo across Turtle Island (North America). Through narrative, policy, and science, we work to reconnect landscapes, communities, and cultures, ensuring that buffalo thrive as free-roaming herds and fulfill their ecological and cultural roles. Our vision is one of resilience, where buffalo recovery strengthens both natural ecosystems and human relationships.

We are guided by the Buffalo Way - relationship, respect, reciprocity, renewal, and reconciliation. Our approach integrates braided science, embraces inclusivity, and upholds integrity. We strive for bold, systemic change, recognizing that buffalo restoration is not only about ecological recovery but also about healing historical injustices and fostering a shared future of abundance and connection.

OUR TEAM

CHARLIE CARPENTER

Co- Director
Steering Committee
Science Committee Lead
CRISTINA MORMORUNNI

Co-Director
Steering Committee
KELSEY PAZERA

Operations & Events Manager
MIKIYA REUTHER

Steering Committee
Science Committee Lead
MOLLYE NARDI

Steering Committee
Science Committee Lead
ED SPEVAK

Steering Committee
Science Committee Lead
KATE BURGESS

Steering Committee
Policy Committee Lead
NICK GEVOCK

Steering Committee
Policy Committee Lead
JOSÉ GOMEZ

Steering Committee
Narrative Committee Lead
ADELA KINCAID

Narrative Committee Lead
CRAIG GINN

Narrative Committee Lead
BRAD ROMANIUK

Steering Committee
Catherine Krus

Steering Committee
DAWN THOMAS

Steering Committee
Jim Matheson

Steering Committee
KELSEY MARTIN

Steering Committee

What we do

We drive the restoration of buffalo across North America by launching and supporting projects that advance their reintroduction. Through habitat restoration, Indigenous-led stewardship, and science-based management, we create opportunities for buffalo to return as free-roaming herds. Our work strengthens policies, builds partnerships, and fosters public engagement to ensure long-term success.

By restoring buffalo to the land, we reconnect people, cultures, and ecosystems, working toward a future where buffalo thrive once again

Committees

Buffalo Beyond Borders understands that restoring buffalo is more than just returning them to the land - it requires a shift in science, policy, and storytelling. To ensure a comprehensive and effective approach, we organize our work into three committees:

Science

The Science Committee uses Braided Science to promote ecological restoration, define buffalo health, enhance herd management, advance data sovereignty, and integrate cultural knowledge with land stewardship.

Policy

The Policy Committee works to identify policy options that promote Tribal sovereignty, support healing and reconciliation, and reconnect landscapes, communities, and cultures.

Narrative

The Narrative Committee works to shift public perception, challenge colonial narratives, and build support for buffalo restoration and Indigenous - led restoration and sovereignty.

Each committee strengthens the others - science provides the data needed for policy change, policy removes barriers to restoration, and narrative shifts public understanding to support both. By working at the intersection of these three areas, we create a holistic and enduring foundation for buffalo restoration - one that is rooted in Indigenous leadership, sovereignty, and the inseparable connection between land, people, and buffalo.

What we’re working on….

Upcoming events

Narrative Committee Meeting

Mar 26th, 2pm (Mountain Time)

Google Meet
Science Committee Meeting

Apr 1st, 3pm (Mountain Time)

Teams
Buffalo Beyond Borders Gathering

This gathering, in partnership with the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project, represents a powerful convergence of place, lineage, and living systems. By bringing together Indigenous leaders, partners, scientists, policy advocates, and relatives to reconnect with buffalo, land, and one another, we aim to move shared work forward.
Together, this time offers space not only for strategy, but for remembrance, repair, and renewed relationship that sustain both people and the lands we care for.
Together, we will explore what it means for the spirit of the buffalo to move beyond borders through coordinated actions in science, policy, and narrative change, grounded in Indigenous-led leadership and lived experience.

Register Here