KEN SALAZAR’S NEW PLAN FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR WILD MUSTANGS

In response to a directive by the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Government Accountability Committee to control the BLM Wild Horse and Burro program costs, and to find a more sustainable way to manage our wild mustangs, Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior had proposed a new plan: *http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/october/salazar_seeks_congressional.html

His plan includes:

- Establishing a new set of wild horse preserves on land acquired by the BLM and/or partners in the Midwest and the East that would be home to non-reproducing herds of wild mustangs. These wild horse preserves would be managed by the BLM or through cooperative agreements between the BLM and private non-profit organizations or other partners, to reduce existing off-range holding costs and harnessing the energy of enthusiastic horse supporters. *

-To showcase the unique herds on public lands in the West which deserve special recognition, with Secretarial or Congressional designations, which would generate ecotourism for the nearby rural communities. *

- To slow population growth rates of wild horses on Western public rangelands through aggressive use of fertility control, sex ratio management, and possibly the introduction of non-reproducing herds in some existing herd management areas in order to balance population growth rates with adoption demand. *

-To enhance the BLM wild mustang adoption procedure by making it more flexible so that more animals will be placed into good homes. *

These proposals are subject to Congressional approval and appropriations. A copy of Ken Salazar’s letter to The Honorable Harry Reid, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate can be viewed here: http://nevada.sierraclub.org/Reports/SalazarLettertoHarryReidonWHB.pdf

NOW IS THE TIME TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! LET OUR LEGISLATORS KNOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF OUR WILD MUSTANG HERDS!

WRITE A LETTER OR AN EMAIL TO YOUR SENATOR (To find the contact address for your senator please click here, and select your state) IN SUPPORT OF WISE MANAGEMENT OF OUR WILD MUSTANGS!!

SEND A LETTER OR AN EMAIL TO BOB ABBEY, DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT!!

Snail Mail:

Mr. Bob Abbey

BLM Washington Office

1849 C Street, NW, Room 5665

Washington DC 20240

Email: Director@blm.gov