Bureau of Land Management officials reviewed the wild horse and burro program with Churchill County Commissioners at Wednesday's meeting. In this file photo from 2011, these horses were kept in holding pens at a facility northeast of Fallon.
The Churchill County Commissioners listened to an update about the wild horses and burros at their Wednesday meeting.
Terri Knutson, field director, and John Neil, assistant field manager, both from the Stillwater field office of the Bureau of Land Management, presented current information and data on the wild horses and burros.
Neil started the presentation by giving a history of the wild horses and burros and the federal acts that have been implemented in the past. He then showed the commissioners the designated areas of Nevada for the herds.
“In Nevada 19.6 million acres were designated as herd areas, but not all of the areas were suitable to manage the horses,” Neil said. “Currently, 14.7 million acres of the original herd area acreage is designated as herd management areas.
The appropriate management level (AML) is the optimum population number of wild horses and burros which results in a thriving natural ecological balance and avoids deterioration of the range as determined by allocated, Neil said. He added the AML is expected to reach its high within four to five years from the low.
Neil said a requirement under the law is for BLM to keep a current inventory of the number of horses and burros on the range.
“National Academy of Sciences recommends counting the herd management areas every 2-3 years,” Neil said. “In order to keep an accurate inventory of herd size, determining when HMAs (horse management area) are in excess of the AML, which would determine when a removal is necessary.”
Neil said there are three methods used to count the wild herds: Aerial direct count, simultaneous double count and photographic mark-resight. He said the last two survey methods, which BLM is implementing, both use statistical corrections to account for animals not seen during surveys.
By law, Neil said BLM is required to remove excess animals and they do this by water or bait trapping and using helicopters.
“Once horses and burros are removed from the range they are transported to BLM holding facilities,” Neil said. “They animals receive supportive care, vaccinations, freeze brands, domestic forage and then they are made available to the public for adoptions and/or sales. Older animals that are less likely to be adopted are placed in long-term pastures located in the Midwest.”
It cost roughly $46 million a year to feed and care for the horses in holdings, Neil said.
Nevada’s AML is 12,700 horses and burros, but the current estimated population on the range is 24,000. Neil said escalating issues include precipitation being below average, populated HMA, populated holding facilities and budget constraints.
Neil said resource protection is a priority of the BLM; Drought monitoring, observation of resources, utilization studies before livestock turnout and after livestock removal to determine utilization levels by different range users and working with livestock permittees will all be done.
The program, however, is currently at a stand still, Neil said, with all of the horses and burros in the holding facility.
“Congress won’t allow us to use appropriated funds to euthanize or sell healthy animals,” Neil said.
Other items discussed and/or approved by commissioners include the following:
Approved submittal of request for funding and approval of $5,000 in two legal disbursements for $2,500 match for $26,840 grant for Carson Water Subconservancy District for water right dedicated database.
Approved the payment of the third quarterly installment to Churchill Animal Protection Society in the sum of $5,000 for fiscal year 2013-2014.
Denied the request made by RSVP for funding and approve letter that has been prepared by staff with the Vice Chairs signature.
Approved the request for an extension of time for submittal of a parcel map appurtenant to the amended tentative map for Skyridge Estates, phase five and six until Feb. 20, 2017, pursuant to Bill 2010-A, Ordinance 103.
Approved request for an extension on recordation parcel map Truckee-Carson Irrigation District No. 07-070 for Suncrest Meadowns/Victor Ventures Inc., APN: 008-211-29 until Feb. 20, 2017.
Approved the temporary transfer of 18.51 acres of surface water owned by Churchill County to the Fallon Golf Course for the 2014 irrigation season, county will pay operations and maintenance fees to TCID and transfer fees.
Approved change of date of the regular commissioners meeting from April 16 to April 23 at 1:15 p.m.
Approved the fee quote for the audit of Churchill County for the years ending June 20, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Approved the issuance of a special event liquor license in the previsions of Churchill County Code chapter 5.24 for Fallon Ducks Unlimited event located at 325 Sheckler Road.