Chapter 1

Healing Grounds Chapter 1 focuses on the work of Latrice Tatsey and her efforts to bring bison back to their natural grazing lands. Instead of raising animals in fenced areas like cattle, bison move across the land in a way that naturally improves the soil. Their grazing helps increase nutrients and store more carbon in the ground, which can help reduce the effects of climate change. Tatsey also shows how restoring bison is not just about the environment but also about reconnecting Indigenous communities with their traditions and land.

The chapter explains that the removal of bison in the past was done on purpose as a way to control Indigenous people by taking away an important food source. It also points out that many communities of color have long used farming methods that work with nature instead of against it. These practices existed long before modern industrial agriculture.

Overall, the chapter connects environmental health with social and cultural healing. Bringing back bison supports stronger communities, restores traditional knowledge, and helps create a more sustainable and independent food system.