BLM issues decision to improve wild horse management in the North Hills Joint Management Area
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CEDAR CITY, Utah—The Bureau of Land Management Cedar City Field Office has signed a Decision Record authorizing a wild horse gather and removal in the North Hills Joint Management Area (JMA), which is located southwest of Cedar City and is jointly managed by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service. The objective of this operation is to achieve and maintain a balance between wild horses on the range and other public land resources. This decision also updated the Herd Management Area Plan that establishes short and long-term management objectives for the wild horses and habitat.
The current estimated population of the North Hills JMA is 254 horses, 425 percent above the appropriate management level of 40-60 horses identified for this area. This population size was determined based on public input, vegetation inventories, allocation of forage, and other resource considerations in order to support wild horses in balance with other uses and values on public land.
The Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzed implementation of the Herd Management Area Plan and the gather/removal of excess wild horses in response to issues currently occurring in the JMA. This action is needed in order to achieve and maintain a population size within the established appropriate management level, establish short and long-term management and monitoring objectives for the wild horse herd and habitat, protect rangeland resources from further deterioration associated with the current overpopulation, and restore a thriving natural ecological balance and multiple use relationship on public lands.
Gather details will be posted on the BLM website when available.
The EA and Decision Record, including maps, are available on ePlanning at: https://go.usa.gov/xUbjB
For more information on how to adopt or purchase a wild horse or burro, visit the BLM Wild Horse and Burro website at www.blm.gov/whb or call (866) 468-7826.
For additional gather-specific information, contact Chad Hunter at (435) 865-3088. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at (800) 877-8339. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.