Biography

Jason Baldes, member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in land resources and environmental sciences from Montana State University, where he focused on the restoration of bison/buffalo to Tribal lands. In 2016, he spearheaded the successful effort to relocate 10 buffalo to the Wind River Indian Reservation and worked with both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes in buffalo management and expansion, with roughly 200 buffalo now held collectively between the two Tribes. Baldes is an advocate, educator, and speaker on Indigenous cultural revitalization and ecological restoration. He serves as executive director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, and senior tribal buffalo program manager for the National Wildlife Federation’s Tribal Partnerships Program. Baldes serves as vice president on the board of directors of the InterTribal Buffalo Council and sits on the board of trustees of the Conservation Lands Foundation.