As one of North America’s most unique ecologies, the Great Plains have fostered symbiotic relationships between humans and animals for millennia. Among these, Indigenous bonds to beavers, bison, and horses have been the subject of numerous anthropological and scientific surveys.
Beaver, Bison, Horse: The Traditional Knowledge and Ecology of the Northern Great Plains (University of Regina Press) is an interdisciplinary account that centers on Indigenous knowledge and tradition. R. Grace Morgan’s research, considered essential reading in the field, shows an ecological understanding that sustained Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years prior to colonial contact, with critical information on how the beaver manages water systems and protects communities from drought on the Plains.
R. Grace Morgan (1934–2016) was a life-long scholar and researcher. Trained in anthropology, Morgan brought a unique ecological understanding to her field, studying the patterns of sustainability that marked Indigenous Plains First Nations’ relationships to beaver and bison resources.
