In Natural Attraction, Clementine, posing as naturalist Calvin, travels west and wonders where the bison are. Eventually she finds some, and Buffalo Bill as well. The sad fact was that even in 1871, the bison had been hunted into near oblivion, in part to discourage Native Americans, and to provide entertainment for tourists. The good news is that we now have a Bison Legacy law that protects North America’s largest land mammal.

The Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge is about a half hour from my house. It’s a wonderful day trip where you can view herds of buffalo and elk, walk trails, and visit the information center. We can’t undo the past but we can learn from it and take steps to appreciate the depth and breath of life on Earth.