Story by R.T. Fitch ~ President of Wild Horse Freedom Federation
Public Urged to Attend
Kara Laney of NAS speaking at the International Equine Conference ~ photo by Terry Fitch
Contracted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to conduct a two year study the National Academy of Science (NAS) with it’s National Research Council (NRC) will be kicking off their first public meeting in Reno on October 27th-28th, 2011. The public is urged to attend for comment.
Kara Laney of NAS spoke last month at the International Equine Conference in D.C. and outlined the process for the required research and mapped out what would be occurring over the next two years.
“We pride ourselves in maintaining the ability to get the very best to serve on a “pro bono” basis,” said Laney, “the ultimate result is an independent, scientifically objective and balanced final product.”
An abbreviated Wild Horse and Burro statement of task for the committee reads as follows:
At the request of the Bureau of Land Management, the National Research Council (NRC) will conduct an independent, technical evaluation of the science, methodology, and technical decision-making approaches of the WH&B Program. In evaluating the program, the study will build on findings of three prior reports prepared by the NRC in 1980, 1982, and 1991 and summarize additional, relevant research completed since the three earlier reports were prepared. Relying on information about the program provided by BLM and on field data collected by BLM and others, the analysis will address the following key scientific challenges and questions…
1) Population estimates and population growth
2) Genetic diversity
3) Population control
4) Managing populationsThe complete statement of task can be read at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key =49392
Likewise Ms. Laney’s complete presentation may be viewed at http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/IEC.Laney.pdf
The specifics and agenda are as follows:
October 27, 2011 – October 28, 2011
Best Western Airport Plaza Hotel
1981 Terminal Way
Reno, Nevada
8:00-1:00 CLOSED SESSION
1:00-1:10 Welcome and Introduction
Guy Palmer, Chair
1:10-1:20 NRC study process
Kara Laney, Study Director
1:20-1:30 Committee Introductions
1:30-2:45 Discussion of statement of task with study sponsor
2:45-3:00 Break3:00-3:30 Presentation on wild horse and burro genetics
Gus Cothran, Texas A&M University
3:30-4:00 Presentation on the WinEquus population model
Steve Jenkins, University of Nevada, Reno
4:00-4:30 Presentation on the Humane Society of the United States population model
Charles de Seve, American Economics Foundation
4:30-5:00 Committee discussion with presenters
5:00-5:30 Break
5:30-5:40 Introduction to public comment session
Guy Palmer, Chair
5:40-5:50 NRC study process
Kara Laney, Study Director
5:50-7:30 Public comment session
Individual registration to provide comments will open at 5pm. Comments may be time-limited to accommodate as many individuals as possible.
Please RSVP via email to Kati Reimer by OCTOBER 25 if you are interested in attending the Open Session of this meeting.
kreimer@nas.edu
Categories: Horse News, Wild Burros, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
We commented on this in September, as this was NOT a balanced panel:
■The provisional committee is imbalanced in favor of those who accept the status quo with regard to livestock grazing on public rangelands and lacks any member with expertise on the environmental impacts of livestock grazing on public lands. At least one panel member, Dr. David Thain, has close ties to the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, yet there is no corresponding member who has expressed concern about public lands grazing. Since conflicts between livestock grazing and wild horses on public lands lie at the heart of the wild horse controversy, it is imperative that this imbalance be corrected in the final committee membership.
■The provisional committee includes two members who hold official positions with the Wildlife Society, a group which has consistently taken a strong position against wild horses, testifying at public hearings, issuing press releases defending current BLM policy, and promulgating a policy statement that espouses the scientifically disproven theory that wild horses are a “feral,” “invasive,” and “non-native” species. If these members remain on the committee, then they must be balanced with members from organizations that have taken a pro-wild horse/pro-conservation stance. Both the Western Watersheds Project and the Humane Society of the United States have individuals qualified to serve on this committee.
■The provisional committee includes a number of members who have been proponents of the contraception drug GonaCon, about which there are serious concerns regarding side effects and behavioral impacts. However, the committee lacks a proponent of the fertility control vaccine PZP, which has a 20-year history of use in wild horses and is considered to be both safe and effective. If any of the pro-GonaCon panel members remain, then they must be balanced with committee members who have knowledge of and extensive experience with PZP fertility control and have advocated for its use in controlling wild horse populations.
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I hope you forwarded your well written comment to Ms. Laney.
If they don’t change the make up of the committee, they might as well not do the “research” which sounds like just reviewing BLM’s statements and directives.!!!3%2
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Hence the need for advocates to be present for comment at the initial meeting. We also questioned these issues at the IEC.
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Agree with you 100% and make this a demand. Inform this to you media for the public knows nothing!
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Shirley, this is where we were to send our comments:
http://www.wildhorsepreservation.org/news/2011/09/21/submit-comments-on-proposed-national-academy-of-sciences-study-panel/
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I, and I’m sure many others, sent comments based on your astute observations about the committee, but nothing changed. do we really think that public opinion comments will influence them. I wish I felt that anything less that suing their butts would work, but I don’t believe now that the make-up of that committee will change unless it forced to change by a court.
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Send comments to Washington D.C. elected officials too. Your own local reps included.
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It would seem that “Relying on information about the program provided by BLM and on field data collected by BLM” casts a large black cloud over this meeting to begin with… I hope and pray there will be many people there to speak out for our precious equines.
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CORRECTION, comments were to be sent HERE:
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/cp/projectview.aspx?key=49392
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Just wrote comment there and asked for response again. I certainly hope that the public comments and the letters (emails) help.
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I just sent my 2nd comments. I think the time to comment has passed , but I am really pissed at this latest BLM crap. In 2 years all the wild horses and burros will be gone and the BLM knows this and has planned it. They are evil to their very core and have no souls or conscience.
BTW SpayVac last 10 or more years. I couldn’t find anything much on GonaCon.
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Sure they were asked by the BLM to research
1) Population estimates and population growth
2) Genetic diversity
3) Population control
4) Managing populations
BUT, they are were NOT asked by the BLM to review HOW and why the BLM arrive at their AML’s both for cattle and for horses, HOW they study the damage to the range and HOW they conclude that it was horses versus cattle and what exactly is a fair ratio of horses versus cattle, and this is the most important aspect lying at the heart of the problem.
I will try to be there.
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I am glad that you will be, Simone.
R.T. Fitch Author – “Straight from the Horse’s Heart” President of the Wild Horse Freedom Federation The Force of the Horse®, LLC 1-800-974-FOTH http://www.rtfitch.com http://www.sfthh.com http://www.wildhorsefreedom.org
Sent from R.T.’s iPhone
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RT I hope you and Terry will be there. I would love to finally meet you! And you too Louie.
By mid next week I should TONS better. I went to the doctor yesterday and my body was fighting off bronchitis. We got it in time.
Now the fun part! I’m on Azrithomycin–also known as Z Pack. Guess who’s nickname is “Z”? Did you think Zenyatta? Yep!
I feel a lot better today. Not as gloppy and my ears are TONS better!
The Z Pack is a 5 day course of antibiotics so I’ll be well off of them by Thurs. Hope to meet a lot of names! Now I’ll be able to put faces with names.
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Thanks to you and RT and the others that can again try to make a difference!
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If this is the start of this study we need to get in there and say quite a lot at this and future meetings. If the deck is stacked again then this is just more reinforced public relations and we need to know it now.
If we were to want a study done who would we turn to???? We need to know who is capable of interpreting what this report covers from a scientific point of view. Who are the people we need in our corner?
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As long as Donner stays snow free I’ll be there too.
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I would like to see straight off that NAS is a real study, a balanced study, not a review of flawed information from BLM.
A. number one issue, is that a 6 year old with a calculator could discern that BLMs numbers do not work, never have. You cannot take 10,000 to 13,000 horses off the range each year and still have 38,000 thousand every year.
My hope for the study is that is will provide a pathway to real reform of the program, to accurate data gathering and reporting, to humane handling and management, to fair and equitable use of the lands the horses were given.
At this point it appears the “review” is just going to be designed to substantiate what BLM is already doing, unacceptable.
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That is expecting a lot of Sunshine from the people removing and killing our horses, Leslie. A turn around like that would have to be ordered from on high; a judge or the ‘boss’ in DC. Without OUR DIRECT INVOLVEMENT as advocates I do not see this sort of wonderful progress ever coming out of BLM from an in house study. I am not being all doom and gloom for nothing. This is the track record. If all we ever do is wait on BLM and government input we will be seeing the last wild herds disappear while we are twiddling our thumbs.
As a movement I see the Wild Horse Advocacy is very weak and outnumbered and out maneuvered by the anti slaughter faction who we all have supported. I just do not see a mutually supportive front for the wild ones from them these days. Please support the wild horse advocacy with your money and not just your mouth people!!! Make a commitment and put up or shut up! We are in an emergency situation and BLM is playing the public relations card fast and furious out there with huge publications we have not been able to land ourselves! We need money. We need meetings with BLM to begin to work towards all the good things we want to develop. Thinking BLM will be the one to carry any of it out seems self defeating to me at this point.
We need to get further down the road Ourselves, as a group and as a force for chance.
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I could ask questions here all day and it would never matter. That scares me. Where is the cohesiveness we need? Why do folks ignore good suggestions and fail to come together? Slaughter has so many leaders and groups. The wild ones are now hearing more burro history and what these little guys have been through… and we know the roundups are continuing… but just blogging is not not getting anything done.
What do you want to see get done??? We all have the same goals but you have to take a stand and work on some aspect to help get anywhere! Take your pick!
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Do we need another non profit that would work with those of us who find we are always on the outside looking in? We must raise money. This is a fact of life for the field work and for the lawsuits and for all the other things we have yet to attempt!
How about Wild Equine Emergency Project? Anyone want to to help?
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Hay Mar try to lighten up. I don’t know about others but I do the best I can each month sending money to Laura and to Mr. Cowan. I’m unemployed so it isn’t like I have a whole lot of discretionary funds to play with.
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Margaret, Nothing is pointed at you or even most of the people who write here. I speak to a wider readership. And from that point of view I will not lighten up as we are really pressed for time. Think of the horses, please. They need us and our cooperation and Action! No offense meant to any. Dare to use your mind and guide it with your heart. Sacrifice. Help all you can.
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I can’t take credit for the comments. They were on the AWHPC website. I just posted them here so everyone could read them.
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I think back to what Rachel Anne Reeves said, every horse including the stallions would have to of had twins if the BLM’s numbers were correct. I will try and stay positive that something will give and blow them wide open for what they are…
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Scientically, domestic mares who are bred to a stallion with all the planning and care that typically accompanies this mating, only produce a live foal 2/3 of the time, and of course, not all of those colts/fillies would reach maturity.
It is so skewed that wild mares would produce more than 1 foal each year that lives to Maturity. Impossible. Why do I know this, and they don’t??
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ECOLOGY LAW QUARTERLY
A National Injustice: The Federal Government’s Systematic Removal and Eradication of an American Icon
Bruce Wagman & Lisa McCurdy
http://elq.typepad.com/currents/2011/02/currents38-02-wagmanmccurdy-2011-0215.html
ECOLOGY LAW CURRENTS
Ecology Law Currents is the online-only publication of Ecology Law Quarterly, one of the nation’s most respected and widely read environmental law journals. Currents features short-form commentary and analysis on timely environmental law and policy issues
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Louie, how did you find out about this????? It is marvelous!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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The ELQ features some very important timeline, legal and scientific resources….it is worth saving for future litigation and comments combat for the wild equine advocates.
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Is the NAS team finalized? Sounds like it is; if it is, isn’t it too late and we are facing nothing more than a better credentialed horse/burro hatin’ crowd?
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Mr Andrew Cohen, The Atlantic has featured another story re: equines with references to wild equines. It is brief because it is basically an intro to a piece featured at “Trot” (harness horses)…but he is still mentioning our equines, wild and domestic. He also does a great series of stories on the judiciary.
Here is the link:
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/10/a-beautiful-story-about-a-man-and-a-horse/246946/
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Just like BLM, NAS asked for public comments and said they would be taken into account and reviewed. Just like BLM, NAS is proceeding with their original plan, or in their case, their original “proposed” committee members with nary a change or an explanation to those of us who sent comments. I agree with the majority here, it looks like another snow job on BLM’s behalf, its purpose being to silence the advocates’ arguments once and for all.
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Good points, Robin but I think there are some here that are hopeful.
I personally think it is a stall tactic; by the time the NAS team reports (rubberstamps BLM)…the wild equines will be gone and/or sterilized. Getting the wild equines is easy; putting them back is moving a mountain.
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So is this study going to be on the up and up or is this bought off too like everything else in our corporatocracy?
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3) Population control
4) Managing populations
These are two of the issues NAS is to address. What is the difference between them ?
GonaCon lasts for 10 years and some believe it is permanent.
Many of us sent in comments about the committee members but they were completely ignored. NAS is nothing but a ploy to fool the general public into thinking the BLM is actually doing what is right. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It’s easy to see for us it’s a stacked deck and a way to buy time while the last of our wild horses and burros are wiped out.
The 1990-91 GAO study is still accurate and is all that NAS needed. Their “study” is unnecessary and will be just more BLM BS.
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Population control is species specific… how to control the wild horse population. Managing the population includes all variants and other species and the water and range conditions and seasons.
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Just need to correct my error. I stated GonaCon lasts 10 years but it should have been SpayVac. I couldn’t find any info on how long GonaCon lasts but it is not feasible either.
HSUS is promoting the use of more PZP and less removals but IMO with less than 17,000 wild horses now free no birth control or removals should be done.
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These were my comments to NAS:
Please remove bias cattle ranchers and anti-wild horse NAS members and
replace with members that at
least like horses.. We need to have a fair evaluation of our wild horse
herds. Do not need scientists to
figure out that our wild horses and burros are being driven off the range
in order to stock pile welfare
cattle on other leases that do not like our wild horses. As far as I am
concerned, the few thousand wild
horses and burros that currently exist on the range need to be left alone
to roam free and reproduce
naturally as intended on protected land specifically reserved for them.
They do not need arrogant
ignorant humans to alter their ways. LEAVE THE WILD HORSES BE TO ROAM
FREE!
What really gets me is, if the greedy, selfish and ungrateful cattle
ranchers do not like horses, why do they
still use them to herd cattle?
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I agree with Simone that if the study fails to address the gross injustice involved with the relative proportions of resource allocation livestock vis a vis wild horses/burros, then it is merely beating around the bush and insincere.
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You guys are so right on. My fear is that they will try to use an untested and already known to be less safe that PZP. Gonacon has consequences for the female other than infertility. I don’t these horse’s need to be spayed.
Also, I think someone needs to take the part of Andrew Cohen series that had the photos and notes showing what a real range assessment should look like.
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I doubt if I can get there, but I would like to see the different models being presented—-
I think it might be helpful for the horses and perhaps the whole region of public lands if we could try to think about what we want the end of this battle to look like. What kind of management can we offer. I like the idea of communities adopting a herd, and the herd manager in Corolla is wonderful. He knows every horse in the herd, where they go at what time of day, and if something is wrong, he knows right away.
I do not know how we will set that up. I also think that we might want to seriously access the idea of returnng these wild horses in holding to the range to repair the damage the cattle have done, and to see if parts of the range can be reforested. If Shackleford Island is getting to the point that it almost has too many trees, then it seems like this might be a plan. Rather than to continually send CO2 to the atmosphere, have trees and differently bladed grass to absorb more of it. Our horses could be part of the green energy plan since there seems to be such a focused effort on converting the West to an Industrial Zone.
Jay Kirkpatrick said that predator control had only worked one place, and that we were not likely to get it. (just for the record).
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While I am deeply concerned about this issue, I also feel that by the time anyone can finish the review or come up with a new plan it will be to late. At the rate the roundups are occuring right now there won’t be hardly any more left of them to manage at all. I too wish there was just one organization and one pot of money to be donated to in order to fight this battle. There’s a lot of various intrest groups trying to make changes in horses lives everyday, and that is a good thing. However, I think one big army is better than a bunch of smaller ones. It sounds like various folks have good questions, concerns and input. I hope you all get to meet at this event and do some serious brain storming on this subject. I’m new to the wild horse situation and don’t have a lot of experience in this matter. It is quite complicated and I think we need a good lawyer to help us navigate these waters. I know Laura has a attorney on her end of things and I hope he will be attending this meeting with her and others. God I wish I had all the answers and all the money to know what to do about this terrible, terrible thing that is happening to the wild horses. I wish everyone of a lot of luck and also want to thank you all for being there for those of us that can’t. Go get um…….
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You catch on fast, Lethie, and you’re right. Welcome to the fight.
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Was there any published results of this “meeting”
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