On December 8th, the First Six Bison to Return to Kane County Prairies Set Foot in Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve

As a 2-term president of the Kane County Forest Preserve I worked
closely with staff as they negotiated and planned to bring a herd of native pure
bread Bison back to permanently graze on the Burlington Forest Preserve. The
1st Bison in 200 years to graze openly in Kane County. Working closely with a
Native American organization to bring the Bison from the Nachusa Grassland
herd in a culturally sensitive manner. On December 5th, 2025, the first of the
Bison arrived in what is anticipated to be their home for any time to come.

The Forest preserve published this announcement on their Facebook:
“With a few steps off a trailer and onto Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve in Sycamore, American bison, also known as buffalo, have made a triumphant return to Kane County prairie, for the first time in more than 200 years.

“The move follows a three-way partnership between the Forest Preserve District of Kane County as land owner, the American Indian Center of Chicago (AIC) as owner of the animals, and Ruhter Bison as the herd manager. It was an agreement the Forest Preserve District had worked to bring to completion for years, and something promised to residents as part of the 2024 Land Acquisition & Preserve Improvement Referendum.”

Read more in their official press release: https://kaneforest.com/upload/BisonReturnToKane_Dec25.pdf