While we await nations to join in a response to global warming, this book begins by reflecting upon the intentional political actions that annihilated the bison, North America’s most iconic species. The plight of the buffalo supplied the catalyst for the conservation movement.

 

George Mushbach, a designated “Conservation Hero,” served an instrumental role in saving the last of the bison and protecting other species. George’s career coincided with the establishment of the conservation movement and dramatic changes in the legal framework protecting the environment.

 

This book traces the early development in environmental law. A chapter summarizes the United Nation's 2018 Climate Change Report. In his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, George served as superintendent at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, and the National Bison Range in Moiese, Montana. Moiese was home of Big Medicine, the sacred white buffalo.

 

The Fish and Wildlife Service named him a “Conservation Hero” and he received a medal commemorating his service from the Interior Department.

 

George’s fascination with photography became a second career. In 1947, George directed what was one of the first wildlife films named “Buffalo Lore” and, his close friend, author Harold McCracken, wrote the script. This was the dawn of movies and he used a primitive 8mm camera. George published a number of his wildlife still photographs, including some with National Geographic. George left an unpublished work related to a buffalo roundup. Some of the roundup pictures and of Big Medicine are included in the book and available as Giclée.

 

George eventually provided technical advice on Disney’s early full-length wildlife film, Vanishing Prairie, which won an academy award. Big Medicine remains a symbol of hope against human induced change to the environment.