After a turbulent winter for Yellowstone’s wild bison, we finally have something to celebrate. This spring has brought not only greener grass but also -- at long last -- an agreement to give these iconic animals access to more of that tasty spring grass. The deal recently agreed to by federal, state, and tribal agencies will give bison access to 75,000 acres of badly needed winter and spring habitat in the Gardiner Basin north of Yellowstone National Park. It allows them to roam freely on public land in the basin, where they have historically been hazed, captured, and sometimes slaughtered when attempting to follow their natural winter migration routes.

This agreement is a game-changer. It is exactly the type of change that we at NRDC have pushed for, and it is a huge step forward toward managing bison as native wildlife.

Yellowstone’s wild bison -- also known as buffalo -- have long been subjected to draconian management policies in response to overblown fears that they could transmit a disease called brucellosis to cattle. Just this winter, over 600 bison have been captured and are being held in captivity at the border of Yellowstone, all in the name of protecting cattle from brucellosis.

The disease, which can cause pregnant animals to abort, once bore high consequences for cattle producers. But as my colleague Matt Skoglund and I have explained, a recent overhaul in federal disease regulations has greatly reduced the consequences of brucellosis transmission to cattle and more accurately reflects the small risk of such a transmission occurring. Recognizing that their harsh management practices were no longer justifiable in light of these new regulations, and in response to continual pressure from NRDC and other bison advocates, state and federal agencies finally chose the logical option: give bison access to more habitat outside the Park.

This is great news, and it has been a long time coming. But now that our voice has been heard, what can we expect as this unprecedented change is actually implemented and more bison begin to take advantage of their new chomping grounds outside the Park?

For an answer, we need only travel a few hundred miles south to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where wild bison have roamed freely in and out of Grand Teton National Park for years.  There, the towns in the valley have adopted the bison as a symbol of the area, and they recognize that it is a major draw for tourists -- who have a chance of seeing bison practically as soon as they step off the plane, as bison often graze along the airport access road. And residents have learned to live with wild bison in towns like Moose and Kelly, where the kids say they don’t mind if recess has to be cut short when bison wander onto the school playground. Even ranchers say bison don’t cause many problems for them, as the occasional fence broken by a bison doesn’t compare to the amount of hassle caused by wild elk.

Here in Montana, in the few places where bison are currently allowed to roam for limited periods, the majority of residents agree that the presence of bison is a blessing rather than a burden. On the Horse Butte Peninsula on the west side of Yellowstone, for instance, local residents say they love sharing their backyards with the big critters. They note that the only time property damage from bison occurs is when the animals are chased through fences by government agents during the senseless hazing each spring.

In the Gardiner Basin north of the Park, residents have generally welcomed the straying bison that have escaped capture this winter, and many have said that they are excited to share the land with the bison that will roam in the basin as a result of this new agreement. Moreover, many of Gardiner’s residents depend on wildlife-related tourism for their livelihood, and they will likely benefit from this move toward increased bison tolerance.

NRDC and other conservation groups are beginning to discuss ways we can work with local residents to help them coexist with wild bison, such as putting up fences around private property. With a little bit of infrastructure and a little bit of patience, Gardiner’s residents are likely to find -- as people in Jackson have found -- that living with bison is both possible and exciting.

Change in bison management generally comes one slow step at a time, so this swift change is both a breath of fresh air (or a taste of fresh grass) and an inspiration. Now if we can continue to apply the lessons we’re learning here – about living with bison, about flexibility and responding to changes on the ground -- we’ll be well on our way to managing bison as the iconic native wildlife that they are.