Now, there has to be a way to preserve the bison living in the BC. Giving control of it to a private cooperative would be best; they would most likely control how many heads of bison are taken per annum and so strike a balance between preservation and profit; the US government might end up giving up control of the BC to private large corporations and allow it to go to waste, thus defeating the purpose for which it was set up in the first place.

In any case keeping enough bison on the land to maintain the natural balance is imperative. IMHO a private co-op would be best. Of course they will want to profit from the BC and therefore will do so, but at the same time they will be inclined to care for the natural environment of the area as much as possible since they can make only as much money as (natural) circumstances permit. Commercially inspired rapine & greed will only lead to the destruction of the BC’s environment — and the profitability thereof.

The word “profit” is mentioned here, but of course there is more to profit than just pocket money. Proceeds will have to go into regular observations of the BC to ensure that the environment is not damaged. This alone would cost a few million USD per year. Also, annual culls of bison must be managed so that not too many heads are taken; the bison must be able to maintain their numbers. Doing so costs additiona money. Thus, even if the actual profit margin from such a venture is not what most people would consider substantial, at least there will be enough to ensure the viability of the BC.

Finally, would human habitation be possible on the BC? Perhaps, but settlement patterns must not interfere too much with the ecological processes of the place, including bison migration and reproduction. In short, life on the BC will be different from the city (-.-)

Again, this misses the point. The BC is a proposal suggesting best use for a specific portion of land which is currently under utilized or misused.

This is all about optimizing the use of natural capital.

The BC has nothing to do with hating humans. You’re reading something into it that simply isn’t there. This an issue of land/resource use (land being the primary resource). Agriculture (the conventional/industrial variety)is just a horrible use of land – period.

Ultimately, people can do whatever they want in an attempt to make a living. The BC sounds very similar to an arrangment like Holistic Management, or a way of adapting pasture cropping. It’s just a far more intelligent way to go.

Unless people like hemorrhaging money, other methodologies of land & resource management need to be considered. The BC is as good an idea as has been proposed. It sure beats what’s happening on the Great Plains now…

Great Plains agriculture is being affected by the same problems plaguing all of industrial agriculture, its just the fragile environment makes it more noticeable and has made it harder on the inhabitants. Agriculture can be sustainable there, especially with the application of permaculture; with or without buffalo.

Not sure how you can claim a system of private land ownership is an example of the tragedy of the commons.

Anyway, permaculture has a lot to offer the inhabitants of the Great Plains to improve their lives and the environment; but the BC isn’t one of them.