Buffalo Return to Native Lands in Texas: CEO Lucille Contreras Featured on KENS 5’s Together We Rise

We’re honored to share a special feature from the Together We Rise series by KENS 5, highlighting the important work of our CEO and Founder, Lucille Contreras.

In this powerful segment, Lucille shares the story of how the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project is restoring buffalo—also known as bison—to their rightful place on Native land in Central Texas.

Located in Waelder, just east of San Antonio, the Project now stewards 15 head of buffalo on 77 acres of reclaimed Indigenous land. This effort is more than a return of wildlife—it’s a return of culture, sovereignty, and ecological healing after nearly 300 years of displacement.

This story is part of a larger movement to reconnect Native communities with traditional lifeways, food systems, and land stewardship. The Texas Tribal Buffalo Project, led by Indigenous women, is at the heart of this movement in Texas.

What You’ll Learn in the Features

• The historical connection between buffalo and Native communities in Texas

• How land rematriation and food sovereignty intersect

• The vision behind the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project and its impact today

This coverage supports the growing recognition of Indigenous-led regenerative agriculture and the role of buffalo in restoring both ecosystems and Indigenous identity.