Environmentalists are suing the feds, claiming the U.S. Forest Service has failed to protect a recreation area in Arizona from “hundreds of unowned horses”—a changeup from their usual defense of the animals.
The groups argue the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has inadequately managed feral horse numbers in the Lower Salt River Recreation Area of Arizona, which is leading to damaging endangered species habitat. The management area covers roughly 20,000 acres, including about 8 miles of the Salt River.
“The agency’s management plan ignores science, their own experts, facts on the ground and basic livestock husbandry. It’s senseless to try to manage 600 horses in an area where ranchers couldn’t even sustain 12 cows,” said Robin Silver, co-founder of the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the suit plaintiffs.
The Lower Salt River Recreation Area is located in the Tonto National Forest, which the groups say provides habitat and water for wildlife, plants and human communities. The groups write in the lawsuit that the current horse population of 600 head greatly exceeds the carrying capacity of 28-44 head.
A 2017 management plan committed the USFS to fund and organize a collaborative process of interested parties to create a long-term management plan for the Salt River horse herd. The collaboration recommended reducing the horse herd to a maximum of 100 horses over a span of two years by returning horses to Tribal lands, adoption and contraception administration.
“Despite the fact that the Collaborative overwhelmingly voted to recommend a herd size of no more than 100 horses, the state of Arizona instead chose a management plan approach that indicates a timetable on the order of 25-35 years to reach a population of 200 horses,” the lawsuit read.
The suit continues that despite the agency’s own findings regarding the carrying capacity of the recreation area and the impacts of the horses, USFS has never prepared an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
“Due to the Forest Service’s failure to adhere to its legal obligations, severe ongoing harm is occurring to this rare area and the wildlife that depends upon it,” the suit claimed. Impacts, they said, include harming endangered species, native wildlife and trees.
“The horses are increasingly concentrated in smaller areas by artificial feeding to prevent mass starvation,” the Center for Biological Diversity said. “The horses now associate people with food and approach them for food.”
The agency’s horse management plan is being challenged by the Center for Biological Diversity, Maricopa Audubon Society, Arizona Wildlife Federation, Arizona Deer Association, Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society and Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation.
Motorized vehicles hearing
In relevant news, the Bureau of Land Management is conducting a virtual public hearing regarding the use of motorized vehicles and aircraft for managing wild horses and burros. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 requires the agency to conduct an annual hearing to consider the use of motorized vehicles. Vehicles are typically used to conduct gather operations, complete population surveys and transport animals.
The hearing will take place May 24 from 3-5 p.m. MT and may be watched at blm.gov/live. To provide comments, registration is required prior to May 23 at 5 p.m. Visit blm.gov to register. Written comments may also be emailed to BLM_HQ_MotorizedVehicleHearing@blm.gov with the subject line titled “Motorized vehicle comment.”
For more information, contact the Wild Horse and Burro National Information Center at 866-468-7826 or wildhorse@blm.gov. — Anna Miller, WLJ managing editor
