compiled and submitted by Bonnie Kohleriter
This is a lengthy read but will be of serious interest to Wild Horse and Burro advocates, everywhere. For your convenience we have uploaded the document (HERE) so that you can print out a printer friendly version for offline review. Many thanks to Bonnie for compiling and sharing this information.
Commentary is interspersed in the minutes.
MINUTES OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD CONFERENCE ON 0CTOBER 13 AND 14, 2011
ERRORS MAY BE IN THE NOTES STANDING TO BE CORRECTED
HEREIN IS A SUMMARY OF THE ADVISORY BOARD CONFERENCE ON OCTOBER 13 AND 14, 2011.
TOTAL PROGRAM COSTS PRESENTED FOR 2010-2011 AND PROJECTED FOR 2011-2012 $75 M
2010-2011 2011-2012
390 T FOR HERD MGMT. 337 T FOR LAND USE PLANNING
1 M FOR MONITORING 1.3 M FOR MONITORING
700 T FOR CENSUS TAKING 1 M FOR CENSUS TAKING
7.5 M FOR GATHERS 7.6 M FOR GATHERS
27 M FOR SHORT-TERM 23 M FOR SHORT-TERM
15.8 M FOR LONG TERM 17.3 M FOR LONG TERM
7 M FOR ADOPTIONS 7.9 M FOR ADOPTIONS
7.5 M FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT 8.6 M FOR PROGRAM SUPPORT
5 M FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT 5.5 M FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
500 T FOR COMPLIANCE 627 T FOR COMPLIANCE
1.5 M FOR POPULATION SUPPRESSION ? FOR POPULATION SUPPRESSION
3 M FOR ECOSANCTUARIES
ABOUT 5 % OF THE BUDGET IS BEING SPENT ON THE RANGE MGMT, 79 % ON OFF THE RANGE MGMT. AND 19 % ON PROGRAM SUPPORT. FOR A PROGRAM THAT WAS TO MANAGE AND PROTECT THE HORSES AND BURROS ON THE RANGE 5% VERSUS 79% RAISES THE QUESTION OF A FAILURE IN THE PROGRAM . IN ADDITION THE SUPPORT COSTS OF 19% APPEAR HIGH.
43,000 HORSES AND BURROS ARE IN HOLDING, 11,000 IN SHORT-TERM AND 28,000 IN LONG TERM, AND 18,000, 24,000, 33,000 or 38,000 are on the range. The BLM AND PUBLIC DON’T REALLY KNOW.
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THE PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR 2011-2012 ARE:
A) TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HMA S (HERD MGMT. AREAS) WHERE THE AML (APPROPRIATE MGMT. LEVEL) HAS BEEN ACHIEVED AND
B) TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HMA S WHERE POPULATION SUPPRESSION HAS BEEN APPLIED.
THE FERTILITY CONTROL TREATMENT AND REMOVAL OBJECTIVES ARE:
A) RE: REMOVAL
FROM 0CT.1 TO FEB. 29 2011-2012 6354
FROM MAR.1 TO SEPT. 30 2012 2555
TOTAL 8909
B) PROPOSED IS THE REMOVAL OF 8909 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011-2012, 7912 FOR THE BLM AND 997 FOR THE FOREST SERVICE WHICH IS MORE THAN ABBEY TOLD CONGRESS.
C) PROPOSED FOR THE BLM IS TO GATHER 931 BURROS AND REMOVE 881 FOR 2011-2012 AND TO GATHER 9512 WILD HORSES AND REMOVE 6991 TOTALLING 7872. (7912 VERSUS 7872 ?) WHERE WILL 881 BURROS BE PLACED; THERE IS MORE OF A DEMAND FOR BURROS SUPPOSEDLY BUT IS THERE THAT MUCH OF A DEMAND?
D) PROPOSED FOR THE FS IS TO GATHER 1282 WHILE 223 WERE GATHERED IN 2010-2011. NOW, OF THE 1282, 600 WILL BE DEFERRED TO 2013, AND 252 WILL BE GATHERED AND REMOVED WITH THE BLM AS IT DOES THE PANCAKE AND SAULSBURY-STONE CABIN COMPLEXES. A NEW WILD HORSE AND BURRO PERSON IS TO BE NAMED TO TAKE CARE OF THE HORSES AND BURROS. BARRY IMLER WAS AT THE CONFERENCE. THE QUESTION IS WHY THE PRONOUNCED INCREASE IN THE NUMBERS TO BE GATHERED?
E) RE: FERTILITY CONTROL TREATMENT.
F) IN 2010-2011 16 HMA S WERE INVOLVED IN FERTILITY CONTROL TREATMENT WITH 834 MARES BEING TREATED WITH PZP; IN 2011-2012 PROPOSED IS 1200 WILL BE TREATED WITH PZP, A MERE INCREASE OF 366 MARES. ABBEY TOLD CONGRESS FERTILITY CONTROL TREATMENT WOULD INCREASE TO 2000.
G) ARE WE TO ASSUME THE BLM IS PLANNING TO GELD OR STERILIZE 800 STALLI0NS THOUGH ABBEY NEVER SAID THAT DIRECTLY TO CONGRESS?
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H) THE HSUS HAS SUGGESTED 9000 MARES BE TREATED WITH PZP. WHEN DEAN BOLSTAD, DIVISION CHIEF, WAS PUSHED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, HE APPEARED TO PUSH BACK ON THIS IDEA. IS IT BECAUSE THOROUGH AND POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE POPULATION
SUPPRESSION ON THE RANGE WOULD RESULT IN THE NEED FOR A MAJOR CHANGE IN CONTRACTS WITH GATHER CONTRACTORS, AS WELL AS WITH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM CONTRACTORS? COULD THESE CONTRACTORS LOSE INCOME AMD SAVE TAXPAYERS INCOME?
GELDINGS TO BE DONE WILL BE ON STALLIONS 8 YEARS AND OLDER THOUGH THE PROCEDURE IS MORE RISKY FOE THE OLDER STALLION. THE GELDINGS POTENTIALLY WILL NECESSITATE THE NEED FOR MORE FREQUENT GATHERS TO STAY WITHIN AML , AND/OR THE GELDINGS WILL FURTHER REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MARES ON THE RANGE WHO ARE ALREADY BELEAGURED BY FERTILITY CONTROL TREATMENT, SEX RATIOING WHERE THERE ARE 60 TO 70 % MORE STALLIONS THAN MARES, REPEATED RAPE BY CONFUSED STALLIONS, AND TWO YEAR OLD PREGNANCIES. RAPING, PREMATURE PREGNANCIES, AND INCREASED OUT OF SEASON FOALING ARE BEING REPORTED BY THE WILD HORSE AND BURRO SPECIALISTS, BY THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS, AND BY THE GATHER CONTRACTORS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF VARIOUS POPULATION SUPPRESSION TECHNIQUES ON THE RANGE. THE QUESTION IS, WITHOUT RESEARCH OF THE MULTIPLE POPULATION TECHNIQUES BEING ADVANCED NOW ON THE RANGE, WHERE IS THE WILD HORSES’ FUTURE GOING ON THE RANGE? IN ADOPTIONS GELDINGS ARE PREFERRED OVER MARES SO WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR THESE ANIMALS BOTH OFF AS WELL AS ON THE RANGE?
THE NAS STUDY WILL REVIEW EXISTING RESEARCH FROM QUESTIONS AND DATA PROVIDED BY THE BLM. IN OTHER WORDS, THE NAS STUDY WILL BE A COMPILATION OF BLM PROVIDED DATA, NOT SCIENCE-BASED INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. NONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS TO DATE APPEAR TO HAVE A BACKGROUND IN WILD EQUINE BEHAVIOR.
SPACE IN SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM HOLDING IS POSING A NEAR FUTURE PROBLEM.
17,300 HORSES AND BURROS SPACES IN FEEDLOTS OR SHORT-TERM FACILITIES.
11.962 HORSES AND BURROS CURRENTLY IN THE FEEDLOTS
5,338 SPACES LEFT FOR HORSES AND BURROS COMING OFF THE RANGE
32,374 HORSES SPACES IN LONG TERM PASTURES
30,012 HORSES CURRENTLY IN LONG TERM PASTURES
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2362 SPACES LEFT IN LONG TERM PASTURES
5338
+2362
7700 TOTAL SPACES AVAILABLE IN HOLDINGS FOR NEXT YEAR WHILE 8909 ARE EXPECTED TO BE GATHERED AND REMOVED FROM THE RANGE.
THE BLM’S ANSWER TO THIS DILEMMA APPEARS TO BE 1) STERILIZING HORSES ON THE RANGE WHICH RAISES THE QUESTION OF THE HORSES’ FUTURE IN THE WILD AND/OR DEVELOPING ECOSANCTUARIES FOR THE REMOVED HORSES. SO ARE WE AS TAXPAYERS TO SUPPORT JUST ONE MORE WEALTHY RANCHERS LAND USE—CORRALS, LONG TERMS PASTURES AND NOW ECOSANCTUARIES WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN LOOK AT STERILIZED HORSES, NO LONGER WILD, EATING GRASS. THE BLM’S ANSWER TO THIS DILEMMA DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE INCREASED, INTENSIVE FERTILITY TREATMENT NOW AT THE APPROPRIATE WINDOW OF TIME. THE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE ARE NOT AIMED AT HEALTHY HORSES ON THE RANGE BUT AT THE DEMISE OF SOME HORSES ON THE RAGE THROUGH PERMANENT STERILIZATION AND CONTINUED REMOVALS FROM THE RANGE.
ADOPTIONS
2888 HORSES WERE ADOPTED IN 2011. 867 HORSES AND 16 BURROS WERE SOLD IN THE EAST. 25 ADOPTION EVENTS WERE HELD IN THE EAST IN TENNESSEE, WISCONSIN, AND NEW JERSEY.
PROPOSED IS 4200 HORSES WILL BE ADOPTED IN 2011-2012. BLM WILL SELL 2200 (500 TRAINED) AND THE MUSTANG HERITAGE FOUNDATION WILL SELL 2000. ADOPTIONS HAVE DECREASED FROM 7700 A YEAR TO 2880 A YEAR. SALES OF HORSES HAVE BEEN ABOUT 650 A YEAR. SATELLITE ADOPTIONS RUN ABOUT 80-100 A YEAR. RANDOM C0MPLIANCE CHECKS FOR ADOPTIONS ARE COMPLETED.
THE FOREST SERVICE HAS 28 ACTIVE HORSE TERRITORIES , 4 ACTIVE BURRO TERRITORIES AND 3 ACTIVE COMBINED TERRITORIES. In 2010-2011 223 HORSES WERE GATHERED AND REMOVED AND 68 BURROS WERE GATHERED AND REMOVED. 108 WERE ADOPTED OR SOLD THROUGH FS ACTIONS. IN 2011- 2012 1030 HORSES WERE PROPOSED TO BE GATHERED AND REMOVED THOUGH 600 HAVE BEEN POSPONED TO 2013, AND 45 BURROS WILL BE GATHERED AND REMOVED. 252 ANIMALS WILL BE GATHERED AND REMOVED IN CONJUCTION WITH THE BLM PANCAKE AND SAULSBURY-STONE CABIN COMPLEX GATHERS.
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LAWSUITS MENTIONED WERE 2 FILED BY THE CLOUD FOUNDATION FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FENCES IN THE PRYORS AND 1 FILED BY A GRAZING PERMITTEE AT MURDER’S CREEK. (OTHER LAWSUITS ARE PENDING, ONE ON HUMANE GATHER PROTOCOL AND ONE ON PUBLIC ACCESS, FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. A SUIT ON GELDING WAS SETTLED AS WELL AS ONE ON THE PANCAKE GATHER .
STRATEGIES PAST AND PRESENT WERE PRESENTED. THE LAW OF 1971 SAID THE HORSES AND BURROS WERE TO BE WHERE FOUND. THEN AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW WERE MADE IN 1976, 1978 AND IN 2004.
WILD HORSES AND BURROS ARE A PART OF THE BLM AND FOREST SERVICE.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A THRIVING NATURAL ECOLOGICAL BALANCE IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER MULTIPLE USES. THIS GOAL OF THRIVING, NATURAL, BALANCE IS HIGHLY SUSPECT FOR HORSES AND BURROS ON THE RANGE TODAY GIVEN THE BLM S MANAGEMENT PRACTICE AND COMPETING POLITICAL INTERESTS.
FACTS ACCORDING TO THE BLM ARE:
A) WILD HORSES ARE IN 10 WESTERN STATES.
B) 179 HERD MANAGEMENT AREAS EXIST THOUGH QUESTIONALBE DUE TO ZEROING OUT AND COMBINING OF THEM, BUT THE 179 IS DOWN FROM THE ORIGINAL 339. ARE LAND AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NO HORSES OR BURROS SUCH AS LEE FLAT, PIPER MTN. AND PALM CANYON IN CA CONSIDERED TO BE HMA S to make up the 179?
C) WILD HORSES AND BURROS OCCUPY 27 M ACRES OF LAND AS WELL AS 5 OTHER PLACES DOWN FROM THE ORIGINAL 53.8 ACRES
D) BLM CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT LEVEL (AML) FOR HORSES AND BURROS IS 26.600, BUT 3 M FOR LIVESTOCK, 20 M FOR MULE DEER, 1 M FOR ELK, 700,000 FOR PRONGHORN, AND 70,000 FOR BIGHORNS…ECOLOGICAL BALANCE?
E) 38,500 HORSES AND BURROS ARE REPORTED ON THE RANGE AS OF 2-28-11, 33,000 HORSES AND 5500 BURROS (THOUGH THESE NUMBERS ARE HIGHLY DOUBTFUL.)
F) 19,000 TO 22,000 HORSE AND BURROS ARE SAID TO BE IN NEVADA(THOUGH THESE NUMBERS AGAIN ARE HIGHLY DOUBTFUL. YOU HAVE ONLY TO LOOK AT THE BLM STATISTICS FROM YEAR TO YEAR TO NOTICE THE INCONSISTENCIES AND IMPROBABILITY OF THE NUMBERS. LOOK AT THE PROPOSED GATHER NUMBERS, ACTUAL GATHER NUMBERS, REMOVALS, RELEASES AND GUESSES OF BLM EMPLOYEES BASED ON JUST
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G) THAT, GUESSES. TALK TO THE WILD HORSE AND BURRO SPECIALISTS INVOLVED IN MANAGING THE HORSES AND BURROS AND COMPARE THEIR NUMBERS WITH THE NATIONAL STATISTICS. NEVADA, CALIFORNIA AND WYOMING’S NUMBERS ARE THE MOST WIDELY SUSPECT.
THE BLM CLAIMS :
A) TO STRIVE FOR HEALTHY HERDS ON HEALTHY RANGELANDS BUT THE EMPHASIS APPEARS TO BE ON THE LANDS.
B) TO DO VEGETATION MONITORING.
C) TO DO HERD HEALTH MONITORING LIMITED PRIMARILY TO NUMBERS AND SIZE.
D) TO DO POPULATION SURVEYS BY DOING AERIAL SURVEYS WHOSE OUTCOMES ARE HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE DEPENDING ON WHO DOES THE SURVEY AND HOW IT IS DONE.
E) TO DO POPULATION CONTROL BY REMOVAL BY HELICOPTER OR BAIT/WATER TRAPPING.
F) TO DO CATCH TREAT AND RELEASE WHICH APPEARS TO BE MORE CATCH. REMOVE THAN CATCH, TREAT, RELEASE.
G) TO DO FERTILITY CONTROL WITH PZP THOUGH, NOT COMPLETELY RESEARCHED AS TO ITS RESULTS AND EFFECT ON THE BANDS AND HERDS BEHAVIOR NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL.
H) TO DO SEX RATIOING THOUGH ITS RESULTS AND EFFECTS ON THE BANDS AND HERDS HAVE NEVER BEEN RESEARCHED.
I) TO DO GELDINGS TO THE POINT OF HAVING NON-REPRODUCING HERDS WHICH IS POSSIBLY AGAINST THE LAW.
25 SHORT-TERM HOLDINGS AND 6 PRISONS HOLD WILD HORSES AND BURROS IN FEEDLOTS WITH DEATHS AND REASONS NOT REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC AND A UNIFORM PROTOCOL FOR GELDINGS NOT ESTABLISHED SO THAT ANIMALS MAY BE AWAKE WHEN THE PROCEDURE IS DONE AS WELL AS OTHER INHUMANE PRACTICES REPORTED. (SEE THE 2011 AAEP REPORT)
20 LONG TERM FACILITIES HOLD HORSES IN PASTURES IN IOWA, OKLAHOMA, KANSAS, AND DAKOTA. AVERAGE ACREAGE IS 8,000 TO 15,000. 39% OF THE HORSES ARE 11 YEARS OR
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MORE. THE PUBLIC, MEDIA, GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENT EVALUATORS ARE ALWAYS SHOWN THE SAME FEW PASTURES OVER AND OVER. WHY AREN’T THE OTHERS SEEN?
41,245 HORSES AND BURROS ARE IN CAPTIVITY.
RE: FERTILITY CONTROL
A) 500 A YEAR WERE DONE FROM 2004 TO 2010
B) 900 WERE DONE IN 2010-2011
C) 1200 ARE PROPOSED TO BE DONE IN 2012
D) THE HSUS HAS RECCOMMENDED 9000 BE DONE
E) THE HSUS HAS STATED PZP, TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE, SHOULD BE APPLIED NOVEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY AND TO 66- 85 % OF THE MARES IN THE HERD.
F) YET THE HSUS HAS GIVEN AND THE BLM HAS USED THE PZP IN JULY THROUGH OCTOBER AND IN FAR LESS THAN 65 TO 85 % OF THE MARES IN THE HERD. SO ONE CAN’T SAY IF THE PZP ITSELF IS INEFFECTIVE OR IF IT IS INEFFECTIVE DUE TO THE TIME AND AMOUNT GIVEN. WHEN SPEAKING ABOUT PZP IS THE BLM SPEAKING ABOUT THE 1 YEAR OR 2 YEAR FOMULA?
G) WILD HORSE AND BURRO SPECIALISTS, AS WELL AS CONTRACTORS HAVE REPORTED NOTICEABLE OUT OF SEASON FOALING WHICH IS NOT TO THE HEALTH OF THE MARES AND FOALS SINCE THE PZP HAS BEEN USED AND THEY HAVE REPORTED INCREASED PREGNANCIES IN 2 YEAR OLD MARES WHICH IS ALSO NOT TO THEIR HESLTH.
RESEARCH IS BEING DONE IN ONGOING PROJECTS.
A) POPULATION ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES: AERIAL POPULATION ESTIMATES ARE BEING DONE AND THE USGS WAS INVOLVED IN TRAINING WILD HORSE AND BURRO SPECIALISTS IN STATISTICAL ANALYSIS.
B) THE EPA, NOT THE FDA IS IN CHARGE OF PZP AND SPAY VAC.
C) OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY HAS DEVELOPED 2 FORMULATIONS OF SPAY VAC.
D) PAUL’S VALLEY IN OKLAHOMA HAS AN ONGOING STUDY ON THE 2 FORMS OF SPAY VAC. THIS IS A CAPTIVE PASTURE. 30 HORSES ARE INVOLVED WITH 2 GROUPS BEING TREATED AND 1 IN A CONTROL GROUP. THIS IS A 5 YEAR STUDY STARTING IN 2011.
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E) CARSON CITY PRISON HAS AN ONGOING STUDY IN THE USE OF LIQUID PZP AND PZP 22 WITH 105 HORSES. DR. TURNER IS CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH.
F) CEDAR MT. IN UTAH TRIED TO DART ITS HORSES THAT ARE IN A LARGE AREA OF LAND, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. IT IS NOW PLANNING A CTR. GUS WARE, THE STATE LEAD, SUGGESTED THE BLM MAY HAVE ORIGINALLY MISCOUNTED THE NUMBER OF HORSES IN THE CEDAR MTN. AREA WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE 192 IN THE 09 NAT’L STATS AND THE 362 IN THE 11 NAT’L STATS, A 35% ANNUAL GROWTH RATE FOR A PZP STUDY?
G) SANDS WASH IN COLORADO DARTED 80% OF ITS MARES. THE POPULATION SUPPRESSION APPEARS TO BE 20% FOAL RATE YEAR 1, 15% Year 2, and 15 % year 3.
H) GONAGON IS NOT BEING TESTED BY THE BLM. THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AT TEDDY ROOSEVELT PARK IN NORTH DAKOTA IS TESTING THIS CHEMICAL.
I) PZP AND SPAY VAC ARE ABOUT THE SAME PRICE OF $200 A SHOT.
J) THE HSUS HAS AN ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECT IN JARITA MESA, N.M. ON REMOTE DARTING.
K) THE BLM NOW HAS A SCIENTIFIC INTERGRITY OFFICER, HEIDI HADLEY IS AT THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AT 202-912-7201.
L) THE BLM GOES TO CO. STATE OR THE AG DEPT. FOR ITS SCIENCE.
M) THE BLM WORKS WITH THE USDA FS WITH ITS LOCATION AT 1200 FRANKLIN WAY, SPARKS, NEVADA 89431 PH. 775-355-5360 CONTACT: TOM FROLLE, INTER REGIONAL PROGRAM COORDINATOR, WHO IS THE NEW WHB MGMT. SPECIALIST FOR THE FS.
THE BLM IS INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING ECOSANCTUARIES—PASTURES AND PARTNERSHIPS. THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE LTH COSTS AND THE NUMBERS IN STH. WILL THE COST DEFLECT FROM THE COSTS THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO MGMT. ON THE RANGE? WILL THE COSTS REALLY BE LESS THAN THE COSTS OF STH AND LTH? THOUGH INSURANCE WILL BE SHIFTED OUT OF THIS AGENCY TO A DIFFERENT AGENCY, STILL THE TAXPAYER WILL HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF LIABILITY WITH THE PUBLIC ON THE SANCTUARIES. WILL THE PUBLIC REALLY WANT TO GO LOOK AT STERILIZED HORSES NO LONGER WILD, EATING GRASS?
DR. JOHN MITCHELL PRESENTED THE FINDINGS OF THE AAEP REPORT ( SEE THE REPORT ON THE INTERNET)
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A COMPREHENSIVE ANIMAL WELFARE PROGRAM IS BEING DEVELOPED. LILI THOMAS WILL HEAD UP THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM. JOE STRATTON, DR. CAROLINE STALK FROM UC DAVIS, DR. KANE, AND THE HERITAGE MUSTANG FOUNDATION WILL WORK ON THIS PROJECT. MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD ALSO OFFERED TO WORK ON THE PROJECT. (IT WAS SUGGESTED TO LILI THOMAS THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD STANDARDS FOR THE ANIMALS CARE AND EMPLOYEES WORK BE PUT IN PLACE BUT ALSO PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING INAPPROPRIATE PERFORMANCE AND GRIEVANCES AND CONSEQUENCES. THIS WOULD BE A PROTECTION TO THE ANIMALS, EMPLOYEES AND THE EMPLOYERS. LILI RESPONDED “WE” HANDLE OUR PROBLEMS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.) THIS IS A 40 YEAR OLD ORGANIZATION RUN LIKE A MOM “LILI” AND POP “DEAN” SHOP, NOT THAT MOM AND POP HAVE NOT BEEN DEDICATED EMPLOYEES.
GOALS FOR THE FUTURE
A) TRANPARENCY(WHICH WRITTEN STANDARDS, PRODEDURES AND CONSEQUENCES PROMOTE)
B) ACHIEVEMENT OF AML ( BUT NOT BELOW IT AS IS NOW HAPPENING)
C) SUSTAINABLE HERDS WITH POPULATION GROWTH
D) HEALTHY HERDS ON HEALTHY RANGELANDS . HEALTHY HERDS ARE INCREASINGLY QUESTIONABLE WITH LOW AML S, WITH REDUCING HERDS BELOW LOW AML, WITH NOT ALLOWING THEM TO BE IN THE AREA WHERE THEY ROAM FROM SEASON TO SEASON, WITH CHASING THEM OUT OF THEIR HMA S ONLY TO REMOVE THEM, WITH NOT RELEASING THEM BACK TO THEIR FAMILIAR HMA S ONLY TO HAVE THEM PICKED UP NEXT GATHER BECAUSE THAY ARE OUT OF THEIR HMA, WITH APPLYING FERTILITY CONTROL TREATMENT, SEX RATIOING, GELDINGS, FREQUENT ROUND UPS, REMOVALS, RELEASES WITH NO RESEARCH AS TO THE AFFECT ON THE HORSES WITH THE USE OF THESE MULTIPLE POPULATION SUPPRESSION TECHNIQUES APPLIED ALL AT THE SAME TIME,AND NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BANDS FOR SURVIVAL( PROVIDING PROTECTION, NURTURING, ATTACHMENT. ELDERLY LEADERSHIP S SHOWING THE BANDS AND HERDS THE WAY TO DIFFERENT FORAGE/WATER AREAS, LEAD MARES CONTROLLING HEALTHY REPRODUCTION SO THAT THE YOUNG AND OLD ARE NOT SO EASILY BRED, BANDED MALES NOT GELDED CHALLENGING THE DOMINANT STALLION AT TIMES FOR REPLACEMENT TO INSURE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.) THE HIGHER MANAGEMENT IN THE BLM SEEMS TO GIVE NO VALIDATION OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BANDS IN THE WILD.
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E) INCREASED POPULATION SUPPRESSION
F) TREAT 2000 PER YEAR INCREASING FROM 500 (NOT SAID HOW WITH WHAT)
G) BALANCE REMOVALS WITH ADOPTIONS
H) OFFER MORE TRAINED ANIMALS
I) DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS
J) OFFER YOUTH PROGRAMS
K) DEVELOP ECOTOURISM PROMOTING WILD HORSE AND BURRO PROGRAMS WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES INVOLVED IN PARTNERSHIPS—LOCAL VOLUNTEER AND
L) SUPPORT GROUPS. CAN WE ENGAGE VOLUNTEERS ON THE RANGE RATHER THAN JUST IN ECOSANCTUARIES WHERE THE HORSE AND BURROS ARE NO LONGER WILD?
M) CONTINUE SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
THE BLM IS INVOLVED IN REDOING ITS CHARTER. IT HAS 7 STRATEGY REFORMS FROM WHICH IT ACQUIRED COMMENTS FROM 9000 AND 43000 PEOPLE. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT ALL COMMENTS ARE WHICH THEY DO NOT AND WAS DISPUTED AT THE ADVISORY MEETING IN FEBRUARY, 2011.
THE BLM IS LOOKING NOW FOR PUBLIC INTEREST, ADVOCACY, AND VETERINARY POSITION PEOPLE TO BE ON THE ADVISORY BOARD.
A CENTRALIZED POSITION FOR DEVELOPING VOLUNTEERISM WAS DISCUSSED. DEAN BOLSTAD APPEARED TO DOWNPLAY THE POSITION BASED ON A LACK OF INCOME. NOTICED WAS A NUMBER OF TIMES THE BOARD MEMBERS APPEARED INTERESTED IN BECOMING INVOLVED IN ASSISTING THE BLM, BUT THEIR INTEREST APPEARED MET WITH A LACK OF ENTHUSIASM AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
BOB ABBEY HAS OFFERED $25000 TO STATE LEADS TO INITIATE ‘BEST OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS’ MATCHING INTEREST WITH CAPACITY.’ THIS WAS DONE IN 2011 AND PROPOSED FOR 2012.
THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE PRESENTED INFORMATION AT THE ADVISORY BOARD CONFERENCE
- ROBIN LOHNES CO-CHAIR
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- GARY ZAKOTNIK CO-CHAIR
- ED ROBERSON A.D. RENEWABLE RESOURCES BLM
- JOHN LYON BLM EASTERN STATE DIRECTOR
- KAREN MALLOY EASTERN STATES WHB PROGRAM LEAD
- SHARON KIPPING WHB STAFF
- DEAN BOLSTAD WHB DEPUTY DEVISION CHIEF
- HOLLY HOOKS WHB STAFF
- LILI THOMAS WHB STAFF
- SALLY SPENCER WHB STAFF
- PATTI COLBERT MHF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- BARRY IMLER USDA FOREST SERVICE
- ZACH REICHOLD WHB STAFF
- JOAN GUILFOYLE DIVISION CHIEF BLM
- DR. AL KANE USDA/APHIS, STAFF VETERINARIAN
- DR. JOHN MITCHELL, AAEP
Commentary is interspersed in the minutes.
Submitted by Bonnie Lynn Kohleriter, bkohlerite@yahoo.com November 12, 2011
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