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x1cONEOFTHEGREATESTTHRILLSINNATUREISTOSEEBABYBISONINTHEWILD.x1dyourcanmorewinter1112SprayLakesandKananaskisandcoalmininginCanmore.Finallyin1930theNationalParksActwasproclaimedsettingaside6697sqkmforthex1cbeneteducationandenjoymentx1dofallCanadiansandremovingtheCanmoretownsitefromtheparkboundariesastheparkx19sgatesweremovedwest.ThroughouttheirhistoryBanffandBanffNationalParkhavestruggledtondtheperfectbalanceofpreservationandeconomicopportunity.WithseveralfailedattemptstohosttheWinterOlympicslocalskiresortsx19desirestoexpandthedeclarationin1984ofBanffasaUNESCOWorldHeritageSitea1988amendmenttotheNationalParksActthatmadepreservingecologicalintegritytherstpriorityinallparkmanagementdecisionsandtheincorporationin1990oftheBanfftownsiteasamunicipalitythegovernmentin1994setuptetwo-yearBan-BowVaeyStuytoprovierecommendationsonhowbettertomanagethehumanuseanddevelopmentwhilemaintainingecologicalintegrity.TherecommendationsfromthatstudyledtoamandatedcaponthetownofBanffat10000peoplerestrictionsondevelopmentwithintheparkandtheremovalofacadetcampandenclosed500-acrebuffalopaddockdeemedtobeinhibitingwildlifemovement.Thelatterhadbeenestablishedinthelate19thcenturycoincidentwiththeextirpationoftheroamingherdsofwildbuffalothathadbeenexcessivelyhuntedthroughoutthemountainsbybothwhiteandFirstNationspeopleandthelossofthetouristattractionin1996wasahotlycontestedissue.Todaythoughisabrandnewday.InJanuaryaftertwoyearsofresearchandlobbyingbytheWHATSHAPPENINGINCANMOREwww.whatsupcanmore.comEleanorLuxtonHistoricalFoundationthefederalgovernmentannouncedaformalconsultationprocesswithanaimtoreintroducetheplainsbuffalotoBanffNationalParkthistimeasafree-roamingherdandnotbehindwirefences.ThenewswasespeciallygratifyingtoHarveyLockeaLuxtonFoundationtrusteeandamemberofoneofAlbertax19soldestpioneeringfamilies.InaJanuaryinterviewwithCBCx19sx1cTheHomestretchx1dLockenotedthatthe2000CanadaNationalParksActcallsfortherestorationx13notjustthepreservationx13oftheecologicalintegrityofthepark.Thelossoftheroamingbuffalopre-datedtheestablishmentofthenationalparkandtwasamajorlosstothenaturalecosystemoftheparkgiventhatthemassiveanimalsexistongrazingandx1crightnowthereisnx19treallyagrazerx1damongtheotherlargemammasLocesai.x1cItwouldbewonderultohaveachancetoseethisanimalthatbelongsinBanParkreturntothelandscapethatitoccupiedforthousandsofyearsx1dLockesaidnotingthatwildbuffaloroaminbothYellowstoneandGrandTetonNationalParksintheUnitedStates.