National Monuments & Wild Horses and Burros: A Closer Look
President Trump's recent Executive Order to review 27 National Monuments has sparked concern about its potential impact on wild horses and burros on public lands. The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) is closely monitoring the situation, as the outcome of this review remains uncertain.
Potential Impact on Wild Horses and Burros
The Executive Order targets National Monuments established since 1996, with 22 located in Western states. AWHC has requested information from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding Herd Areas (HAs) and Herd Management Areas (HMAs) within these Monuments. The response identified 17 HAs and 3 HMAs across several states.
Key Areas of Concern
Among these, the Gold Butte National Monument in Nevada fully encompasses the Gold Butte HMA, home to approximately 365 wild burros. Additionally, the Piute Mountain HA in California's Mohave Trails National Monument still supports 65 wild horses, despite being designated inactive by the BLM.
Other areas of interest include the Silver King HMA in Nevada and the Pokegama HMA in Oregon, both partially within National Monuments and supporting significant wild horse populations.
Historical Context and Current Challenges
Under the American Antiquities Act of 1906, presidents have protected lands with cultural and historic significance as National Monuments. However, President Trump views these protections as excessive federal control and aims to reduce them.
AWHC is particularly concerned about the broader political push for state control over federal lands, which could lead to restricted access, industrial development, and increased livestock grazing, threatening wild horse and burro habitats.
Advocacy and Public Involvement
The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) remains committed to federal management of wild horses and burros, advocating for humane treatment and opposing mass roundups and slaughter.
Public comments on the National Monuments review can be submitted online after May 12 at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “DOI-2017-0002” in the Search bar, or by mail to Monument Review, MS-1530, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240.