U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced an effort to restore large bison herds to Native American lands, including $25 million in federal spending for bison conservation. The plan aims to build new herds, transfer more bison from federal to tribal lands, and forge new bison management agreements with tribes.

American bison were driven to the brink of extinction more than a century ago due to commercial hunting, according to Associated Press. Recent efforts of the federal government, however, have lead to around 82 tribes having more than 20,000 bison among 65 herds. The $25 million for this project will be allocated to the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Haaland has championed tribal concerns on issues ranging from wildlife conservation to energy development and put a spotlight on past mistreatment of Native Americans. The project is seen by some as a step towards repairing the deep-seated divisions between Native American tribes and the federal government.