
National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board
Helping Through Service
The BLM works with its National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board (Board), which is composed of representatives from multiple interest groups and the public. The Board meets regularly to discuss issues and to advise the BLM.
Board members represent various interests: wild horse and burro advocacy groups, wild horse and burro research institutions, veterinarians, natural resource organizations, humane advocacy groups, wildlife associations, and livestock organizations, plus the general public with a special knowledge of equine behavior.
Board members, who may not be employees of the federal or state governments, are appointed by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture. Board meetings and calls for board nominees are published in the Federal Register.
Apply to serve on the Advisory Board
Each year, the BLM requests nominations for the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board from individuals, national organizations, and associations involved with, and interested in, the protection and management of wild horses and burros on public lands administered by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service. Learn more here.
The BLM announced on October 2, 2023 that it is seeking to fill three positions on the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. The call for nominations is for the positions that represent natural resource management, public interest (with special knowledge of equine behavior) and wild horse and burro research, which will become vacant on January 11, 2024. Nominations must be received no later than November 16, 2023. Learn more in the Federal Register.
Board Meetings
At each meeting, the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board makes recommendations to the BLM for consideration. The BLM also presents updates on various aspects of the Wild Horse and Burro Program. Below you can find materials related to the most recent meeting of the Advisory Board, as well as materials for upcoming meetings.
National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting
December 12-14, 2023
National Training Center
9828 N 31st Ave
Phoenix, Arizona
Meeting Materials
Federal Register Notice
News Release
Meeting Agenda
Additional meeting materials will be posted prior to the meeting.
The public will have the opportunity to make a verbal statement to the Advisory Board in-person and virtually during two comment periods. In-person registration will occur on-site. To register to provide comment via Zoom, please use the links below. Please only register to provide public comment once, to ensure everyone has a chance to speak.
Public Comment Registration
Dec. 13, 2023, 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Dec. 14, 2023, 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
The public may submit written comments to the Advisory Board in addition to, or in lieu of, providing verbal comment. Written comments should be submitted to the Advisory Board at blm_wo_advisory_board_comments@blm.gov. Comments emailed three days prior to the meeting will be provided to the Advisory Board for consideration during the meeting.
The BLM will also host the Advisory Board on two education field trips, which are open to the public. The Board will tour the Lake Pleasant Herd Management Area from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. MT on Dec. 12 and the Florence Wild Horse and Burro Off-Range Corral and Training Facility from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MT on Dec. 14.
Members of the public interested in attending the educational tours to the Lake Pleasant Herd Management Area or to the Florence Wild Horse and Burro Off-Range Corral and Training Facility must register in advance due to limited space via email to dboothe@blm.gov no later than 5 p.m. MT on Nov. 29. Attendees must provide their own high clearance transportation, and any necessary food, health and safety items needed for a full day in the field.
Past Advisory Board Meetings
Watch recordings of previous Advisory Board meetings on @BLMNational YouTube
- June, 2023 | Reno, NV
-
Board recommendations to BLM/USFS
Draft Meeting Minutes Day One and Day TwoMeeting Materials:
- Agenda
- October 2022 Meeting Minutes Day One and Day Two
- Board Member Biographies
- BLM/USFS Response to Recommendations
- USFS Update
- Wild Horse and Burro Program Infographic
- Fiscal Year 2022 Highlights Infographic
- On-Range Branch Update
- 2023 HA/HMA Statistics
- WHB Gather Schedule as of June 14, 2023
- Off-Range Branch Update
- IM-2023-028 Animal Health, Vaccinations, Gelding and Microchipping
- IM-2023-041 Wild Horse and Burro Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program Standards for Off-Range Pastures and Public Off-Range Pastures
- May 2023 Facility Report
- BLM HQ News Releases and Blogs
- Glossary of Terms
- Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act
Presentations:
- BLM Nevada Wild Horse and Burro Update
- BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Update
- USFS Wild Horse and Burro Update
Panel discussion:
- October, 2022 | Phoenix, AZ
-
Board recommendations to BLM/USFS
Meeting Materials:
- Meeting Agenda
- Board Member Biographies
- Draft Minutes of June 30-July 1, 2021 Meeting
- Responses to Recommendations
- FY2022 Expenditures
- USDA Forest Service Update
- Wild Horse and Burro Program Infographic
- FY2021 Highlights
- On-Range Update
- Research Update
- 2022 Population Estimates
- FY2022 Gather Schedule
- Off-Range Update
- September 2022 Facility Report
- BLM News Releases
- Instruction Memoranda and Bulletins
- Glossary
Presentations
- June/July, 2021 | Virtual Meeting
-
Board Recommendations to the BLM/USFS
Draft meeting minutesMeeting Materials
- Meeting agenda
- Member biographies
- BLM responses to Board recommendations
- Draft minutes from September 2020 meeting
- U.S. Forest Service Wild Horse and Burro Program
- BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program On-Range Highlights
- Gather Schedule as of June 15, 2021
- Research Update
- BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program Off-Range Highlights
- ORP Solicitation Flyer
- ORC Solicitation News Release
- June 2021 Facility Report
- Private Care Placement Chart (FY21-present)
- BLM News Release on Virtual Meeting
- Meeting Federal Register Notice
Presentations
- September, 2020 | Virtual Meeting
-
Meeting Materials
- Meeting Agenda
- Draft minutes from October 29-31 meeting
- Final minutes from October 29 - 31 meeting
- Report to Congress
- Report to Congress Fact Sheet
- Summary of Report to Congress (presentation slides)
- Gather-Related Mortality Analysis
- Advisory Board Recommendations 2020
- USFS Wild Horse and Burro Program Fact Sheet
- BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program FY19 Highlights
- Tentative FY2020 Wild Horse and Burro Gather Schedule as of Sept. 2, 2020
- BLM Research Summary
- FY2020 Wild Horse and Burro HA/HMA Statistics
- BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program Off-Range Branch Update
- Wild Horse and Burro Facility Report for August, 2020
- Adoption Incentive Program Evaluation Report
- 50th Anniversary Commemoration Concept Paper
- Wild Horse and Burro Program Expenditures
- October, 2019 | Washington, D.C.
-
Advisory Board Recommendations to the BLM and U.S. Forest Service
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Rules of the Room
- Draft Meeting Minutes from Boise Meeting for Approval Day One | Day Two
- Response to Recommendations
- Off-Range Highlights
- Completed FY2019 Gathers
- Tentative Fall FY2020 Gathers
- Herd Management Area and Herd Area Statistics
Presentations
- July, 2019 | Boise, ID
-
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- Federal Regulations regarding Wild Horses and Burros (4700)
- FY2018 Accomplishments
- Draft Meeting Minutes from Salt Lake City meeting for Approval
- Off-range Update
- Tentative Gather Schedule
- 2019 HMA/HA Statistics
- Research Progress
- Litigation and FOIA Update
Presentations
- October, 2018 | Salt Lake City, UT
-
Meeting Materials
- Watch the proceedings (recorded October 10-11)
- Meeting Agenda
- Meeting Minutes (approved by Board at July 9-11 meeting)
- Rules of the Room
- News Release
- Recommendations to BLM
- Rough-cut Transcripts
- Draft Meeting Minutes for Approval
- Facility Report
- Off-Range Update
- Research Projects Summary
- Tentative Gather Schedule
- Response to Board Recommendations from Elko
- Response to Board Recommendations from Grand Junction
- Wild Horse and Burro Infographic
Presentations
- BLM's Approach for Meeting Challenges in the Wild Horse and Burro Program
- BLM Utah
- Utah Department of Natural Resources
- Wild Horse and Burro Program Overview
- U.S. Forest Service Program Overview and Status
- Overview of Report to Congress
- Adoption Incentive Program
- Population Growth Suppression Research
- Panel Discussion: Healthy Horses and Rangelands in a Multiple Use Setting
- October, 2017 | Grand Junction, CO
-
Meeting Materials
- Agenda
- News Release
- Federal Register Notice
- Rules of the Room
- Advisory Board Recommendations
- Rough-cut Transcripts
- Meeting Materials
Presentations
- BLM Colorado Wild Horse and Burro Program
- National Wild Horse and Burro Program
- U.S. Forest Service
- Influence of Feral Horses on Native Wildlife in the Great Basin
- Currently Available Contraceptives and Sterilization Techniques for Wild Horses & Burros (APHIS)
- Colorado Collaborative Partnerships (T.J. Holmes, SWAT and GEMS)
- Utah Summit
- Key Elements of a Sustainable Wild Horse & Burro Program
- September, 2016 | Elko, NV
-
Meeting Materials
Presentations
- April, 2016 | Redmond, OR
-
Meeting Materials
Presentations