McDonnell, Woehl, and Cope Join Wild Horse Advisory Board
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced the appointment of three new members to its nine-member National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. These appointments bring a wealth of expertise in equine behavior, public interest, and natural resources management. The board plays a crucial role in advising the BLM on the management and protection of wild horses and burros on public lands.
New Appointments to the Advisory Board
Sue M. McDonnell, PhD, Cert. AAB, from West Chester, Pennsylvania, has been appointed for the category of wild horse and burro research. McDonnell is a clinical associate and adjunct professor of reproduction and behavior at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. As a certified applied animal behaviorist, she consults privately on equine behavior and welfare. McDonnell co-edited the leading academic book on horse behavior, The Domestic Horse: The Evolution, Development and Management of its Behaviour, published by Cambridge University Press.
Fred T. Woehl, Jr., from Harrison, Arkansas, joins the board for the category of public interest, with special knowledge of equine behavior. Woehl has over 40 years of experience in the horse community as a trainer, natural horsemanship clinician, and educator. He is actively involved with the Equine Science Department at the University of Arkansas and has taught Equine Science at North Arkansas College. Woehl has volunteered for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program for a decade, conducting demonstrations and assisting with adoptions. He also served as a senior agricultural adviser for the U.S. State Department in Iraq, focusing on agricultural programs and policy.
Robert E. Cope, DVM, from Salmon, Idaho, has been appointed for the category of natural resources management. Cope earned his DVM at Kansas State University and has practiced veterinary medicine since 1975. He was elected Lemhi County Commissioner in 2001 and continues to serve in that role. Cope has been active in the National Association of Counties, serving as chair or vice chair of its Environment, Energy, and Land Use Steering Committee for nine years. His veterinary practice has focused on large animals, particularly range livestock.
Role of the Advisory Board
The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board advises the BLM on the management and protection of wild free-roaming horses and burros on public lands and national forests, as mandated by the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Board members represent various interests and must demonstrate the ability to analyze information, evaluate programs, identify problems, work collaboratively, and develop corrective actions.
Originally Posted By The Horse