On June 18, the National Horse and Burro Rangeland Management Coalition (Coalition) submitted a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), thanking BLM for a recent report, Management Options for a Sustainable Wild Horse and Burro Program, submitted to members of Congress that outlines issues and potential options for managing wild horses and burros on BLM lands.
The Coalition is comprised of a wide range of sportsmen, livestock, wildlife, and land conservation organizations and professional societies “focusing on commonsense, ecologically-sound approaches to managing horses and burros to promote healthy wildlife and rangelands for future generations.”
The report itself was produced in response to a Congressional request, and as noted by the Coalition, highlighted the significantly detrimental effects and impacts of excess wild horses and burros on public rangelands, as well as the challenges associated with effectively managing these populations.
In the letter, the Coalition posed a number of follow-up questions related to the report:
As noted by the Coalition, responses provided by BLM to each of the questions posed in the aforementioned letter will assist Coalition members in determining the most viable solution for managing wild horses and burros on BLM lands. Wild horse and burros significantly exceed Appropriate Management Levels on many federal public land management parcels, causing significant damage to rangeland habitats and the native fish and wildlife species that rely on them.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
