Equine reproductive immunology Ph.D speaks out in 2010 against using PZP on wild horses

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Protect Mustangs

November 27, 2010

Jared Bybee, Wild Horse and Burro Specialist

Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

Billings Field Office

5001 Southgate Drive

Billings, Montana 59101-4669

VIA FAX: 406-896-5281

RE: Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range Fertility Control Preliminary Environmental
Assessment Tiered to the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range Environmental Assessment and Herd Management Area Plan May 2009 EA DOI-BLM-MT-0010-2011-0004-EA

Dear Jared Bybee:

Background

I appreciate the opportunity to submit comments on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range
Fertility Control Preliminary Environmental Assessment Tiered to the Pryor Mountain Wild
Horse Range Environmental Assessment and Herd Management Area Plan May 2009 EA DOI-BLM-MT-0010-2011-0004-EA. My background is in equine reproductive immunology and wildlife conservation. I applaud the Billings Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a thoughtful approach to this issue. Cover letter 4700 (010.JB) dated November 2010 and signed by James M. Sparks, Field Manager states that the BLM would consider comments and revision to the EA or unsigned FONSI as appropriate. I urge a “no action alternative” as outlined on page 7 and 8 of the EA. This request is based on two pieces of new scientific evidence about effects of current immuno-contraception use.

Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) Contraception

The proposed action as stated on page 7 of this EA would exempt “mares ages 5-10 unless they have produced foals, or are part of a large bloodline.” This is reminiscent of the approach taken with the Assateague Island wild horse population. It is a compromise approach to this issue, in comparison to placing all mares on PZP. However a recent study shows that mitochondrial DNA diversity is low in the Assateague Island horse herd (Eggert et al. 2010). Since mitochondrial DNA is inherited from the mother (mare), this is evidence that female inherited genetics on Assateague Island wild horses is under represented. It is imperative that this be assessed before rolling out a similar management plan for the Pryor Mountain wild horses.

There is a recent Princeton University study on PZP effects. Consecutive PZP applications, analogous to the proposed action plan in this EA, showed that mares gave birth later in the season, and were cycling into the fall months (Nunez et al. 2010). In a state like Montana where freezing temperatures are found in the fall, this can have serious and long term effects on foal survivorship.

I must include a statement on long term consecutive use of PZP. Any form of PZP contraception is not completely reversible in mares depending on the length of use of PZP. Contraception can only be reversed when the antibody titer decreases to 50-60% of the positive reference sera (Liu et al. 2005). Mares treated for 7 consecutive years do not return to viable fertility (Kirkpatrick and Turner 2002; Kirkpatrick et al. 2009). The issue of reversible contraception is very important to be able to maintain wild equines in the United States. Long term treatment with PZP has inherent negative potential for this herd.

I am requesting a new look at the proposed fertility control action for the Pryor Mountain wild horses.

Sincerely,

Christine DeCarlo, Ph.D.

Lori S. Eggert, David M. Powell, et al. (2010). “Pedigrees and the Study of the Wild Horse
Population of Assateague Island National Seashore.” Journal of Wildlife Management
74(5): 963-973.

J. F. Kirkpatrick, A. Rowan, et al. (2009). “The practical side of immunocontraception: zona
proteins and wildlife.” J Reprod Immunol 83(1-2): 151-7.

J. F. Kirkpatrick and A. Turner (2002). “Reversibility of action and safety during pregnancy of immunization against porcine zona pellucida in wild mares (Equus caballus).” Reprod
Suppl 60: 197-202.

I. K. Liu, J. W. Turner, Jr., et al. (2005). “Persistence of anti-zonae pellucidae antibodies
following a single inoculation of porcine zonae pellucidae in the domestic equine.”
Reproduction 129(2): 181-90.

Cassandra M. V. Nunez, James S. Adelman, et al. (2010). “Immunoctraception in Wild Horses (Equus caballus) Extends Reproductive Cycling Beyond the Normal Breeding Season.” PLos ONE 5(10): 1-10.

(Posted for educational purposes)

Appeal to stop the wild horse wipe out

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Protect Mustangs

Dear Friends of wild horses and burros,

Despite the fact that the National Academy of Sciences stated there is “no evidence of overpopulation”, a group with alleged funding related conflict of interest is pushing the sterilizant known as PZP on an uninformed public using the ‘it’s either slaughter or PZP’ scare tactic.

Today’s drug pitch is found in the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzanne-roy/wild-horses-at-risk-of-sl_b_4934857.html It references population control experiments on the less than 48,000 acre Assateague Island in the East and lacks scientific comparison with the vast open range found in the West–where some herd management areas cover 800,000 acres or more.

Why did the coalition of several groups give up the fight for wild horses’ real freedom?

Freedom is the American mustangs’ right according to the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971. They should not be manipulated by man on the range nor in congressional back rooms. Native wild horses should never be domesticated through sterilizants with man choosing who breeds. That’s nature’s job in the wild. It fosters survival of the fittest.

The solution to the fertility control debate is to focus on what the wild herds need to thrive in freedom not what a campaign, driven by a sanctuary or the BLM, wants to achieve. We need good science to find solutions.

The BLM wants to eliminate the majority of wild herds to free up public land for toxic drilling so why is this coalition following BLM’s lead to push population control before science?

There is no accurate population count to justify roundups. BLM’s overpopulation claims are a farce.

What’s the solution for a falsified overpopulation problem? A reality check and good science.

Fearing extinction from excessive roundups since the 2009 public land grab for energy exports, America’s wild horse birthrate in the West is abnormally high. That should be a red flag that there is something seriously wrong with ecology on their native range.

The Chainman Shale deposit of oil and natural gas in northeastern Nevada and into Utah is about to boom. Exploration began around 2009 in tandem with vast roundups removing the majority of wild horses who have the legal right to be on public land. Some went to probable slaughter and others make up the 50,000 captives warehoused in long-term holding facilities at taxpayer expense.

America’s wild horses should live wild and free–not drugged up with “restricted use pesticides” passed by the EPA for pest control and unsafe for domestic horses.

We invite the public and elected officials to demand a 10 year moratorium on roundups for recovery and studies to develop good science for management. Wild horses are an essential part of the thriving natural ecological balance. They will help reverse desertification and reduce global warming by filling their niche on their native range.

Please sign and share the petition for a 10 year moratorium on roundups for recovery and scientific studies: http://www.change.org/petitions/sally-jewell-urgent-grant-a-10-year-moratorium-on-wild-horse-roundups-for-scientific-studies

Contact us if you want to keep America’s herds wild and free. Our email is Contact@ProtectMustangs.org We need your help in various ways.

Remember the herds are the lifeblood of our native wild horses. Due to underpopulation their genetic viability is in crisis today. American wild horses must be protected from experimentation and from domestication so they can always run wild and free.

Many blessings,
Anne

Anne Novak
Executive Director for Protect Mustangs™
www.ProtectMustangs.org

Links of interest:

Chainman Shale: http://info.drillinginfo.com/chainman-shale-could-it-be-the-next-big-land-grab/

One of the many pesticide fact sheets: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/reg_actions/pending/fs_PC-176603_01-Jan-12.pdf

Are wild horses going to be sterilized due to an advocacy campaign? http://protectmustangs.org/?p=6356

Washington Post reports: U.S. looking for ideas to help manage overpopulation http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-looking-for-ideas-to-help-manage-wild-horse-overpopulation/2014/01/26/8cae7c96-84f2-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html

The Horse and Burro as Positively Contributing Returned Natives in North America: http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=118&doi=10.11648%2Fj.ajls.20140201.12

Press Release: No proof of overpopulation, no need for native wild horse fertility control http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4453

Bogus Science and Profiteering Stampeding Their Way into Wild Horse Country http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4475

Protect Mustangs speaks out against the Cloud Foundation’s PARTNERSHIP with BLM using risky PZP that could terminate natural selection: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4941

Wildlife Ecologist, Craig Downer, speaks out against using PZP in the Pryors: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4178

Report unveils wild horse underpopulation on 800,000 acre Twin Peaks range: http://protectmustangs.org/?p=6278

www.ProtectMustangs.org
Protect Mustangs educates, protects and preserves native and wild horses. The nonprofit conservation group strives for a moratorium on roundups and science-based holistic land management to reduce global warming.

Moratorium on roundups needed for scientific research before sterilization

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Protect Mustangs

“Currently there is no evidence of overpopulation but the runaway train for fertility control and sterilization bashes down the tracks,” explains Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs. “We request a ten-year moratorium on roundups for scientific studies on population, migration and holistic land management. Science must come first.”

Please sign and share the petition for a moratorium on roundups: http://www.change.org/petitions/sally-jewell-urgent-grant-a-10-year-moratorium-on-wild-horse-roundups-for-scientific-research

Cross-posted from the Sacramento Bee for educational purposes.

Panel: Sterilize wild horses to cut population

By Sean Cockerham
McClatchy Washington Bureau

Published: Thursday, Jun. 6, 2013

WASHINGTON – The federal government should do large-scale drug injections of wild horses to make them infertile, according to a highly anticipated recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences.

The report released Wednesday said the Interior Department’s strategy for wild horses is making a bad situation worse. The government has rounded up nearly 50,000 wild horses and put them in corrals and pastures.

More of America’s wild horses are now in holding facilities than estimated to be roaming the wild, in what the National Academy of Sciences called a failure to limit the animals’ fast-growing numbers.

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management requested the report amid frustration and skyrocketing costs of the wild horse and burro program. The annual cost to taxpayers of the program has nearly doubled in four years to $75 million, with more than half going to costs of holding facilities.

The BLM says roundups and holding facilities are needed because swelling horse populations are too much for the wild range to sustain. Wild horse advocates say the issue is really about favoring the interests of ranchers whose cattle and sheep graze upon the public lands.

The National Academy of Sciences said a big problem is that the Bureau of Land Management doesn’t really know how many wild horses and burros there are in America, or their true impact on the rangelands. The report concluded that BLM is likely underestimating the number of wild horses in America and that their populations are growing by as much as 20 percent a year.

The independent panel of scientists that wrote the report said the agency needs a more defensible scientific backup for its decisions on wild horses, including consideration of the impact of livestock on the range.

“The science can be markedly improved,” said Guy Palmer, a Washington State University professor who led the panel.

The government’s roundups of wild horses are just making the population problem worse, according to the report. Shutting tens of thousands of horses in holding facilities means less competition for food and water on the range and more population growth, it concluded.

Leaving the horses alone to roam the range would lead to a competition among them for food and water that would meet the goal of cutting their numbers, according to the report. But “having many horses in poor condition, and having horses die of starvation on the range are not acceptable to a sizable proportion of the public,” the authors concluded.

The best alternative is a widespread use of fertility control measures, the independent scientific panel decided. They recommended chemical vasectomies for stallions and the injection of the contraceptive vaccines GonaCon and porcine zona pellucida for mares.

In contrast, Karen Sussman of the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros has been studying herds in her care for 13 years. The results show healthy social structures of wild horses control population.

ISPMB herds show that functional social structures contribute to low herd growth compared to BLM managed herds

As we complete our thirteenth year in studying the White Sands and Gila herds, two isolated herds, which live in similar habitat but represent two different horse cultures, have demonstrated much lower reproductive rates than BLM managed herds. Maintaining the “herd integrity” with a hands off management strategy (“minimal feasible management”) and no removals in 13 years has shown us that functional herds demonstrating strong social bonds and leadership of elder animals is key to the behavioral management of population growth.

ISPMB’s president, Karen Sussman, who has monitored and studied ISPMB’s four wild herds all these years explains, “We would ascertain from our data that due to BLM’s constant roundups causing the continual disruption of the very intricate social structures of the harem bands has allowed younger stallions to take over losing the mentorship of the older wiser stallions.

In simplistic terms Sussman makes the analogy that over time Harvard professors (elder wiser stallions) have been replaced by errant teenagers (younger bachelor stallions). We know that generally teenagers do not make good parents because they are children themselves.

Sussman’s observations of her two stable herds show that there is tremendous respect commanded amongst the harems. Bachelor stallions learn that respect from their natal harems. Bachelors usually don’t take their own harems until they are ten years of age. Sussman has observed that stallions mature emotionally at much slower rates than mares and at age ten they appear ready to assume the awesome responsibility of becoming a harem stallion.

Also observed in these herds is the length of time that fillies remain with their natal bands. The fillies leave when they are bred by an outside stallion at the age of four or five years. Often as first time mothers, they do quite well with their foals but foal mortality is higher than with seasoned mothers.

Sussman has also observed in her Gila herd where the harems work together for the good of the entire herd. “Seeing this cooperative effort is quite exciting,” states Sussman.

ISPMB’s third herd, the Catnips, coming from the Sheldon Wildlife Range where efforts are underway to eliminate all horses on the refuge, demonstrate exactly the reverse of the organization’s two stable herds.

The first year of their arrival (2004) their fertility rates were 30% the following first and second years. They have loose band formations and some mares are without any harem stallions. Stallions are observed breeding fillies as young as one year of age. Foal mortality is very high in this herd. Generally there is a lack of leadership and wisdom noted in the stallions as most of them were not older than ten years of age when they arrived. In 2007, a decision to use PZP on this herd, a contraceptive, was employed by ISPMB. This herd remains a very interesting herd to study over time according to Sussman. “The question is, can a dysfunctional herd become functional,” says Sussman who speculates that the Catnips emulate many of the public lands herds.

In 1992 when Sussman and her colleague, Mary Ann Simonds, served on the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, they believed that BLM’s management should change and recommended that selective removals should begin by turning back all the older and wiser animals to retain the herd wisdom. Sussman realizes that the missing ingredient was to stop the destruction of the harem bands caused by helicopter roundups where stallions are separated from their mares. “Instead, bait and water trapping, band by band, needed to be instituted immediately,” says Sussman. Had this been done for the past twenty years, we would have functionally healthy horses who have stable reproductive rates and we wouldn’t have had 52,000 wild horses in holding pastures today. BLM’s selective removal policy was to return all horses over the age of five. When the stallions and mares were released back to their herd management areas by the BLM, younger stallions under the age of ten fought for the mares and took mares from the older wiser stallions. This occurs when there is chaos happening in a herd such as roundups cause.

Sussman also believes that when roundups happen often the younger stallions aged 6-9 are ones that evade capture. This again contributes to younger stallions taking the place of older wiser stallions that remain with their mares and do not evade capture. She is advocating that the BLM carry out two studies: determining the age of fillies who are pregnant and determining age structures of stallions after removals.

Currently Sussman is developing criteria to determine whether bands are behaviorally healthy or not. This could be instituted easily in observation of public lands horses.

Taken from BLM’s website: “Because of federal protection and a lack of natural predators, wild horse and burro herds can double in size about every four years.”

White Sands Herd Growth: 1999-2013 – 165 animals.

BLM’s assertion herds double every four years means there should be 980 horses or more than five times the growth of ISPMB’s White Sands herd.

Gila Herd Growth:1999-2013- 100 animals.

BLM’s assertion herds double every four years means there should be 434 horses or nearly four times the growth of ISPMB’s Gila herd.

Sussman says that BLM’s assertion as to why horse herds double every four years is incorrect. The two reasons given are federal protection of wild horse herds and lack of natural predators. ISPMB herds are also protected and also have no natural predators, but they do not reproduce exponentially. She adds that exponential wild horse population growth on BLM lands must have another cause, and the most likely cause is lack of management and understanding of wild horses as wildlife species. Instead BLM manages horses like livestock. “According to the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971, all management of wild horse populations was to be at the ‘minimal feasible level’,” Sussman says. “When the BLM’s heavy-handed disruption and destruction of wild horse social structures is the chief contributing factor in creating population growth five times greater than normal, than the BLM interference can hardly be at a ‘minimal feasible level.’”

Sussman concludes that ISPMB herds are given the greatest opportunity for survival, compared to the BLM’s herds which are not monitored throughout the year. “One would assume,” Sussman says, “herds that are well taken care of and monitored closely would have a greater survival rate. Yet, even under the optimum conditions of ISPMB herds, they still did not increase nearly 500% like BLM herds.”

It’s time for a moratorium for scientific studies like Sussman’s. We need to help the wild horses and burros not harm them. Let us use science to guide us.

Secretary Jewell wants to push fertility control on native wild horses before scientific studies.

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

Sally Jewell, Fortune Live Media / Foter.com / CC BY-ND

The Live Chat transcript shows Secretary Jewell wants to push birth control and other methods before science.

The “birth control” The Secretary refers to is a restricted use pesticide, a type of PZP made from pigs ovaries, that is so risky it is not approved for domestic horses.

The National Academy of Sciences reported there is “no evidence” of overpopulation. Protect Mustangs is calling for a moratorium on roundups for scientific population studies. Why is Secretary Jewell pushing the pesticide?

Transcript:

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M TIM FULLERTON AT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE ROOF HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WE’RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT TODAY AND GIVE YOU SOME OF OUR GREAT PUBLIC LANDS BEHIND US WITH THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SECRETARY SALLY JEWELL WITH US TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS OVER THE NEXT HALF HOUR ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS. SATURDAY WILL BE THE 20TH TIME WE HAD THE PUBLIC LANDS DAY, WHICH IS A BIG DAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VOLUNTEER. SO FEEL FREE TO USE THE CHAT ON THE SCREEN AND WE HAVE SOME E- MAIL QUESTIONS AS WELL. FIRST I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO SECRETARY SALLY JEWELL.

>> THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR TUNING INTO THIS LIVE CHAT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET AROUND THIS LANDSCAPE AND SEE EVERYBODY. IT IS WONDERFUL TO HAVE COLLEAGUES LIKE TIM THAT FACILITATE TECHNOLOGY SO I GET A CHANCE TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT THE WORLD THAT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. I WANT TO SAY ONE OF MY FAVORITE DAYS OF THE YEAR IS COMING UP ON SATURDAY. OVER THE COURSE OF A NUMBER OF YEARS, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VOLUNTEERING ON OUR PUBLIC LANDS AND I WANT TO THANK THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION FOUND — FOUNDATION THAT STARTED IT 20 YEARS AGO SO THAT WE COULD CONNECT SO MANY PEOPLE TO OUR PUBLIC LANDS. I THINK THE VERY FIRST ONE WAS VERY SMALL. WE ARE LOOKING AT 180,000 WELL AND HERE’S — VOLUNTEERS. I WENT ON THEIR WEBSITE BEFORE THIS PRESENTATION TODAY. THEIR TAGLINE IS HELPING HANDS FOR AMERICA’S LANDS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, PUBLICLANDSDAY.ORG. YOU CAN SEE BY CLICKING ON YOUR STATE WHAT IS HAPPENING CLOSE TO YOU. I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME IN GETTING OUT AND DOING A LITTLE SWEAT EQUITY THIS SATURDAY. I GET TO GO TO ATLANTA OR I’M GOING TO BE WORKING ON THE MLK JUNIOR HISTORIC SITE. THAT WILL BE THE CHILDHOOD HOME OF DR. KING. WE’RE GOING TO BE DOING PAINTING AND MULCHING AND PICKING UP GARBAGE. MOST IMPORTANTLY WHEN YOU GET OUT CAN YOU CONNECT, YOU NEVER LOOK AT THAT SITE IN THE SAME WAY. YOU’LL NEVER LOOK AT DR. KING’S MEMORIAL IN THE SAME WAY IF YOU GET OUT AND YOU WORK ON IT. THAT IS TRUE FOR PUBLIC LANDS AROUND THE COUNTRY. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL JOIN, AS PEOPLE DID LAST YEAR, PICKING UP GARBAGE. I THINK WE HAD MANY TONS, 500 TONS LAST YEAR. 23,000 POUNDS OF INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVED. AT THIS TIME OF CLIMATE CHANGE, OF TIGHT BUDGETS, VOLUNTEERS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. I HOPE YOU WILL GET OUT AND JOIN ME AND MAYBE TAKE A YOUNG PERSON BY THE HAND AS WELL. WITH THAT LITTLE COMMERCIAL FOR VOLUNTEERING, I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. TIM, IF YOU HAVE SOME. FIRE WAY.

>> WE WERE INUNDATED WITH QUESTIONS. THIS ONE IS FROM VIRGINIA. ARE THERE PLANS TO INCREASE ACCESS AND BANDWIDTH TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND MOBILE PHONES THROUGH CELL TOWERS? DO YOU BELIEVE THIS IS A POSITIVE DIRECTION?

>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. NO QUESTION WE ARE ALL TIED INTO OUR MOBILE TECHNOLOGY TODAY. ALL CHILDREN ARE SPENDING TIME IN FRONT OF A SCREEN, AND I TALK A LOT ABOUT THAT, I ALSO KNOW MOBILE TECHNOLOGY AND TABLETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT CAN CONNECT US TO THE NATURAL WORLD. ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE SEEING IN A NUMBER OF NATIONAL PARKS, AND WILDLIFE REFUGEES, IS INTERPRETIVE INFORMATION THAT IS TIED INTO GPS SATELLITES SEE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. THE NATIONAL MALL IS ONE SUCH PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT HISTORY BASED ON WHERE YOU ARE WITH A GOOD MOBILE CONNECTION. WHILE IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN EVERYWHERE, AND THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH GETTING CELL PHONE COVERAGE IN SOME OF OUR REMOTE PLACES, I WOULD SAY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR APPRECIATES THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY AND HOW PEOPLE INTERACT WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AND WITH EACH OTHER. AND SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN YOU AREN’T LISTENING TO AN INTERPRETIVE MESSAGE, YOU WILL FIND PEOPLE GATHERING AROUND TO LISTEN TO THAT SAME MESSAGE. I THINK IT IS A GOOD CALL OUT AND SOMETHING WORTH INVESTING IN WHERE THE BUDGET ALLOWS.

>> I WILL JUST THAT IF YOU ARE LAND ON SATURDAY USING YOUR PHONE TO TAKE PHOTOS, THESE USE THE #NPLD20, SO WE CAN GET OUT THE WORD. THE NEXT QUESTION, WE ARE GOING TO SHIFT TO THE BUDGET QUESTION RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THIS. THIS ONE IS FROM RACHEL. WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP THESE PLACES OPEN AND FUNDED?

>> I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, RACHEL. IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN VERY CHALLENGING. THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, AS WITH OTHER AGENCIES, HAS BEEN OPERATING UNDER A RESOLUTION WITH THE SEQUESTER THAT HAS FORCED TO BUDGET CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD. IN MANY OF OUR FACILITIES, WE SEE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF VISITATION DURING THE SUMMER. OUR SEASONAL RANGER FOREST AND OUR SEASONAL WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST, A LOT OF TIMES YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT BUILDING CAREERS HAVE BEEN HIT THE HARDEST BY THE SEQUESTER AND THE BUDGET SITUATION. I WOULD SAY ALL OF US NEED TO MAKE THE CASE FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC LANDS. AND THE GOOD WORK THAT IS DONE BY PEOPLE ON PUBLIC LANDS. ONE OF THE THINGS I SAY OFTEN IS WHEN YOU SEE A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE, GIVE THEM A HUG OR SAY THANK YOU. THERE IS A LOT OF NEGATIVE MESSAGES. I CAN TELL YOU THERE IS MANY HARD-WORKING PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE FEDERAL FAMILY TRYING TO DO GOOD WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD. FOR TRIBAL NATIONS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. PUBLIC LANDS AND WILDLIFE AND THE DIVERSITY OF SPECIES AND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND WATER AND THINGS PEOPLE CARE ABOUT. YOU NEED TO GIVE BACK TO REGULAR ORDER IN THE BUDGET. WE ALSO WILL PLEDGE TO USE OUR RESOURCES WISELY. I WILL BRING MY BUSINESS EXPERIENCE TO BEAR TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SPENDING OUR MONEY EFFICIENTLY. CAN’T DO IT ON A WEEK TO WEEK BASIS WITH CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS WITHOUT STRATEGY.

>> THANK YOU, SECRETARY JEWELL. THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM VIRGINIA. THIS IS FROM KEITH. HE IS ASKING WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THE DEPARTMENT CAN BALANCE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT WITH THE CONSERVATION IN ORDER TO PRODUCE ENERGY AND SUSTAINING OUTDOOR RECREATION?

>> I APPRECIATE A QUESTION. BALANCE IS A KEYWORD. WE ARE MANDATED BY THE VARIOUS LAWS TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN HOW WE USE RESOURCES, PARTICULARLY WITHIN THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT. THAT IS ONSHORE AND OFFSHORE, WHERE OUR RESOURCES ARE DEVELOPED. BALANCE IS IMPORTANT. THERE ARE PLACES NOBODY WOULD WANT TO SEE DEVELOPMENT. YOU CAN THINK OF SOME OF THE ICONIC SPOTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE GRAND CANYON. YELLOWSTONE, YOSEMITE. BUT ALSO THE WILDLIFE REFUGE, WHICH THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE CLEAR IS NOT FOR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND YET THE NATIONAL PETROLEUM RESERVE OF ALASKA, WHICH WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH TO OPEN A LOT FOR ENERGY DEVELOPMENTS. WE WANT TO BE THOUGHTFUL. ONE OF THE PRIORITIES I SET IN TERMS OF HOW WE BOOKED AT THE LAND UNDER OUR STEWARDSHIP IS DEVELOPING A LANDSCAPE APPROACH. UNDERSTANDING WHERE ARE THE RESOURCES, WHERE ARE THE SACRED SITES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR NATION’S FIRST PEOPLE? WHERE ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE CRITICAL HABITAT? HOW CAN WE LOOK AT THAT SO WE FOCUS ON OUR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT WHERE THE CONFLICT IS LOWER? WE CAN PRIORITIZE THOSE AREAS THAT ARE SPECIAL BECAUSE WE CAN SET THEM ASIDE. IT IS COMPLICATED BUT BALANCE IS IMPORTANT AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO BOTH. WE DON’T THINK IT HAS TO BE A TRADE-OFF.

>> THAT LEADS US INTO THE NEXT QUESTION, WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE PRESIDENT’S PLAN, SO THIS ONE IS, WHAT IS INTERIOR’S ROLE TO PROMOTE THE PLAN?

>> I AM PROUD TO WORK FOR THE PRESIDENT, WHO STEPPED UP IN FRONT OF A NATIONAL AUDIENCE AND LAID OUT A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. WE ARE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. CERTAINLY IN THE RESOURCES INTERIOR MANAGES, WHETHER IT IS HOT WILDFIRES, AS WE STILL HAVE BURNING, JUST INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. WHETHER IT IS DROUGHTS OR FLOODS. WE HAVE SEEN ALL OF THEM IN COLORADO THIS YEAR. OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH PEOPLE IN COLORADO AS THEY DIG OUT FROM THE CHALLENGES THEY HAD. WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES IN WATER SUPPLIES. TOO MUCH IN SOME AND DROUGHTS IN OTHERS. WE HAVE MULTIPLE ROLES, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, WITH ONE IN FIVE ACRES OF LAND. ONE IS TO POWER OUR FUTURE IN NEW WAYS. MY PREDECESSOR AND HIS TEAM DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF STANDING UP RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS ON PUBLIC LAND. THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT CAN REALLY HELP POWER OURSELVES INTO THE FUTURE WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES. THEY ARE BEING DONE IN WAYS THAT PAY ATTENTION TO THE IDEALS ON THE LANDSCAPE AS WE ARE DOING IN THE MOJAVE DESERT. AND THOUGHTFUL MANAGEMENT OF CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL FOSSIL FUELS, WORKING WITH INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP THOSE AND TO DO THEM IN A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY IN TERMS OF REDUCED CARBON FOR THE ENERGY OUTPUT. CERTAINLY RENEWABLE ENERGY, CERTAINLY CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES AND PREPARING OUR COUNTRY AND OUR LANDSCAPE FOR THE REALITIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. A QUICK EXAMPLE, HURRICANE SANDY, THE HUGE DEVASTATING IMPACT IN THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF OUR COUNTRY. WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT, AND WE CAN SHARE THOSE LESSONS, WHAT MOTHER NATURE KNOWS ABOUT RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURES AND THE ABILITY TO TAKE THE LESSONS FROM MOTHER NATURE AND APPLY THEM OURSELVES. WE WILL BE DOING THAT IN HURRICANE SANDY MITIGATION. WE WILL BE USING YOUNG PEOPLE, WE ARE USING AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW COMMUNITIES WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS SOMETIMES WORSE FOR THE STRUCTURES BEHIND. GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WAS SOMETIMES BETTER. JUST A LOT GOING ON IN CLIMATE CHANGE. WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN AND TO SHARE.

>> IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN GENERAL, YOU CAN GO TO DOI.GOV, AND GO TO THE WHAT WE DO SECTION. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION THERE. AND IF YOU’RE JUST JOINING US, I WANT TO REMIND YOU WE ARE SITTING HERE WITH SECRETARY SALLY JEWELL, ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS RELATED TO THE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE GOING TO STAY ON THE CLIMATE CHANGE QUESTION. THIS IS FROM JOHN IN OREGON. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT ACTIONS ARE PLANNED TO REDUCE CATASTROPHIC FIRES ON OUR PUBLIC LAND?

>> I APPRECIATE THAT FROM JOHN. I KNOW YOU HAD A SPECTACULAR SUMMER IN THE NOSE — NORTHWEST. INWILDFIRES ARE A GROWING ISSUE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH YOUR SENATOR AND WITH OTHERS ON CAPITOL HILL AND WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION ON A LONGER-TERM FIX FOR WILDLAND FIRES. WE TREAT EMERGENCIES LIKE HURRICANES AND EARTHQUAKES AND FLOODS WITH EMERGENCY MONEY BUT WE TEND TO TREAT WILDFIRES WITHIN OUR REGULAR BUDGET. SO WHEN WE HAVE 10 SEASONS, WE END UP FOCUSING ON SUPPRESSION OF THE RESOURCE, PUTTING OUT THE FIRE. IT TAKES MONEY FROM OTHER PARTS OF OUR PROGRAMS, INCLUDING REMOVING HAZARDOUS FUELS. AS WE BECOME SMARTER AS A PEOPLE AND MANAGER, YOU REALIZE NATURAL FIRE IS IMPORTANT TO THE ECOSYSTEM. WHEN WE GO WITHOUT NATURAL FIRES, WE END UP WITH FIRES THAT ARE FAR MORE DEVASTATING. WE WILL BE CLOSING — WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON A LONGER-TERM FIX THAT ENABLES US TO BE SMARTER ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THOSE LANDSCAPES, REMOVING FUELS, AND NOT HAVING TO PULL MONEY OUT OF THE BUDGET TO FIGHT FIRES. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO LOVE LIVING IN THE WOODS, YOU TAKE ON A PERSON RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING SURE YOU ARE CLEARING HAZARDS AROUND YOUR STRUCTURE. SO MUCH OF MY MONEY GOES TO PROTECT THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HELP US OUT BY REMOVING THE HAZARDOUS FUEL ON YOUR PROPERTY.

>> I SEE WE’RE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THE CHAT. WE’RE GOING TO START OFF WITH ONE WE HAD A LOT OF VARIATIONS ON, RELATED TO THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES RELEASING A STUDY ON YOUR WILD HORSE PROGRAM. WHAT DO YOU SEE IS THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM?

>> THE CHALLENGE OF HOW TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS A GROWING POPULATION OF WILD HORSES IS ONE THAT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY CARE A LOT ABOUT. AND TEND TO SEND ME A LOT OF LETTERS AND ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE THE PASSION THERE IS. I ALSO KNOW WE VALIDATED WHAT THE LAND MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN SAYING. THE HERDS DOUBLE IN SIZE EVERY 3.5 YEARS. SO THERE WERE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH REGARD TO BIRTH CONTROL. IT IS AN IMPERFECT SOLUTION. THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT HAS WORKED TO TRY THAT OUT. I HAVE ENCOURAGED THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY CAN DO TO MANAGE THIS, WHERE WE CAN LEARN, NOT ONLY FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMY BUT ALSO FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR. ARE THERE MORE EFFECTIVE EARTH CONTROL METHODS INDUSTRY MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESEARCH THAT MAKES THESE THINGS MORE EFFECTIVE? WE HAVE A VERY ACT OF ADOPTION PROGRAM SO THAT — ACTIVE ADOPTION PROGRAM SO THAT IF WE ARE CHALLENGED, WE WOULD LOVE TO FIND GOOD HOMES FOR THEM WHERE THEY ARE EXPANDED BEYOND THE FEDERAL RANGE INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. FOR THOSE THAT ARE PASSIONATE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK OF CONSTRUCTIVE SOLUTIONS. THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR ON BIRTH CONTROL AND OTHER METHODS AND I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT IS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME.

>> THANK YOU, SECRETARY JEWELL. THIS QUESTION IS FROM DAVID. THIS QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE THE DOI PRIORITIES IN REGARDS TO TRUST LANDS AND SHARING DATA WITH TRIBES TO RESTORE HOMELANDS?

>> I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. I AM COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING OUR TREATY WITH TRIBES. WE HAVE AN ACTIVE EFFORT GOING ON AROUND THE KOVAL SETTLEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACCELERATE LAND INTO TRUST. I THINK YOU WILL SEE ONGOING ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT WHICH AREAS WE ARE FOCUSING ON AS WE TAKE OUR RESOURCES AND CONCENTRATE THEM IN GETTING IT DONE. I DO KNOW WE DO NOT HAVE A PROUD HISTORY AS A GOVERNMENT OF POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL. SOMETIMES THE OPPOSITE. WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA’S COMMITMENT, WITH MY PREDECESSOR TERRY, — MIGHT PREDECESSOR, — MY PREDECESSOR, WE ARE MAKING SURE WE ARE BRINGING THE WHOLE FEDERAL FAMILY TO THE TABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN DO AS VARIOUS AGENCIES TO HELP SUPPORT AND ENGAGE IN A WAY THAT TRIBES WANT US TO. SELF-GOVERNMENT, SELF- DETERMINATION ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AROUND GIS MAPPING, WE ARE AT A TIME WHERE WE HAVE CAPACITY TO LEVERAGE MAPPING TOOLS ON A NATIONWIDE SCALE. ONE OF THE PRIORITIES I HAVE LAID OUT HIS AROUND THE LANDSCAPE LEVEL AND USING GIS TOOLS. SO I THINK YOU HAVE SPECIFICS ON HOW IT MIGHT RELATE, WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO SEE THAT. IT ALLOWS US TO GET DOWN TO A GRANULAR LEVEL. THE USGS, WHICH IS PART OF THE INTERIOR, IS THE FOCAL POINT FOR THESE TOOLS ON A NATIONWIDE BASIS AND THEY WILL BE WORKING WITH TRIBES. IT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION. I WILL ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE DOING THE LAND TRANSFERS TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THOSE TOOLS.

>> I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY WE ARE HERE WITH SECRETARY SALLY JEWELL TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY. IF YOU’RE JUST JOINING US, THIS CHAT WILL BE ARCHIVED AND WILL BE SHARED ON DOI.GOV AND ALSO ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. WE WILL ALSO REMAIN ON THE LIVE STREAM CHANNEL RIGHT NOW FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS SO YOU CAN WATCH IT AFTER THIS IF YOU WOULD LIKE. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER QUESTION RELATED TO PUBLIC LANDS DAY. THIS IS FROM JIM IN CONNECTICUT. NOT ONLY IS SATURDAY NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY BUT THE ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING DAY. WITH ACCESS TO LANDS BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT, DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS?

>> WELL, IT IS NONE — NATIONAL HUNTING AND FISHING DAY. AND I HOPE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOME SPORTSMEN ACTIVITY. THEY HAVE BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF PREZ — CONSERVATION FOR MANY DECADES. THEODORE ROOSEVELT RECOGNIZED HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS ARE CRITICAL ON HAVING THE SHE’S — SPECIES THAT FUELED THE GREAT AMERICAN PASTIME OF HUNTING AND ANGLING AND CONNECT DUST TO THE LANDSCAPES IN WAYS THAT ARE NATURAL FOR US. IN MY PRIOR WORK IN MY OUTDOOR RECREATION INDUSTRY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUTDOOR RECREATION IS A HUGE DRIVER OF OUR ECONOMY. SOMETHING UNDER JUST UNDER $650 BILLION A YEAR. SO THANKS FOR THE CALL OUT ABOUT NATIONAL HUNTING INFINITY — FISHING DAY. I HOPE PEOPLE DO ENJOY THIS. ACCESS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING. ONE TOOL THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL FOR 50 YEARS IS THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN ENABLING US TO BUY EASEMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WERE SOMETIMES ARE JUST AS OF LAND THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR HABITAT AND FOUR SPORTSMEN’S ACTIVITIES. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE YOUR SUPPORT, TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IT MIGHT DO WITHIN YOUR OWN STATE, AND IF THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU, TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CASE TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IT IS IMPORTANT WE SUPPORT THE FUND AS WE HAVE REQUESTED IN THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET.

>> THERE IS A SITE CALLED RECREATION.GOV. FOR HUNTING, FISHING, AND ENJOYING THE PUBLIC LANDS. HIKING, BIKING, CAMPING. ALL OF IT IS THAT RECREATION.GOV. WE HAVE ANOTHER FIVE OR SIX MINUTES. IF YOU HAVE A FINAL QUESTION, SEND THEM IN. THE NEXT ONE IS FROM HARRY IN COLORADO. THE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE 21ST CENTURY SERVICE CORPS AND HOW IT WILL PROVIDE JOBS FOR THOUSANDS OF YOUNG AMERICANS AND VETERANS WHO WORK ON PUBLIC AND TRIBAL LANDS AND WATER. WHERE DOES THIS FIT WITHIN YOUR PRIORITIES?

>> I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT ON THIS. I AM VERY COMMITTED TO ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE. THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, AT A TIME WHEN WE WERE IN WORSE SHAPE THAN WE ARE NOW, CERTAINLY ECONOMICALLY, WAS A TIME WHEN OUR COUNTRY CHOSE TO PUT PEOPLE TO WORK WHERE THEY CONNECTED THEM TO PUBLIC LANDS THAT WE STILL ENJOY TODAY. AND FOR THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WENT TO WORK ON PUBLIC LANDS, THEY NEVER LOST THAT CONNECTION. THIS IS A DIFFERENT TIME AND PLACE. BUT WE DO HAVE A NETWORK OF CONSERVATION CORPS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE A NUMBER OF THEM. THE 21ST CSC IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT CORE. WE ARE WORKING ALONGSIDE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE STUDENT CONSERVATION AND OTHER NETWORK MEMBERS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT KNOW THEIR COMMUNITIES AND CONNECT PEOPLE YOUNG AND OLD TO THOSE PUBLIC LANDS IN AREAS THAT MAKE THOSE DOLLARS GO SO MUCH FARTHER. THIS WEEKEND IS A GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF ONE DAY IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE 365 DAYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. INTERIOR PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THIS. WE HAVE THE PUBLIC LANDS. REGULAR ORDER WITH THE BUDGET WILL ENABLE US TO PUT THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATORS IN PLACE. RIGHT NOW, ANYTIME THE SEQUESTRATION, WE HAVE MORE VOLUNTEERS THAN WE CAN PUT TO WORK BECAUSE OF THE WAY OUR BUDGET IS NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW. SO WE WILL BE GETTING BACK TO REGULAR ORDER, I HOPE. WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON HOW WE CAN LEAN INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT WHEN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WITH LITTLE CONNECTION TO PUBLIC LANDS WORK ON THEM, BUILD A TRAIL, AT SHARK SURE, CLEAN UP GARBAGE, — A STRUCTURE, CLEAN UP GARBAGE, THEY WILL LOOK AT THE LAND, THE BUILDING THEY WORKED ON, I CAN’T THINK OF A BETTER WAY THAN THAT. WE WANT TO BRING BACK MORE YOUTH TIRING. I AM HOPING WE’LL GET PAST SOME OF THE CRAZINESS AROUND OUR BUDGETS AND WASHINGTON, D.C. AND THIS WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR ME.

>> JUST AS A REMINDER IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING, THERE ARE EVENTS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. GO TO PUBLICLANDSDAY.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM CARL IN CALIFORNIA. WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT DOING TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THE DISABLED TO OUR LANDS?

>> I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. IT’S NO QUESTION WE WANT OUR LANDS TO FEEL WELCOMING TO ALL PEOPLE. AND WE KNOW THAT ACCESSIBILITY IS IMPORTANT TO A GOOD PART OF OUR PUBLIC THAT CAN’T ACCESS ALL OF OUR LANDS IF WE DON’T MAKE THEM ACCESSIBLE. IT IS IMPORTANT. I WAS GETTING AN UPDATE TODAY FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ON SOME OF ITS EFFORTS AROUND FIXING THE CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT IS NEEDED TO DO THAT. ONE OF THEIR PRIORITIES WAS AROUND ACCESS. MAKING SURE THINGS ARE ADA ACCESSIBLE. IT IS A PRIORITY, IT ALSO TAKES MONEY. ALL OF THOSE THINGS WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE FACILITIES ARE WELCOME AND ACCESSIBLE. THAT IS CERTAINLY GOING ON.

>> WE HAVE TIME FOR TWO MORE QUESTIONS. THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM AUDREY IN FLORIDA. HER QUESTION IS, OF THE 15 DEPARTMENTS, INTERIOR RANKS ON THE LOWER SIDE FOR DIVERSITY IN THE WORKFORCE. WHY IS THAT AND HOW DO YOU INTEND TO CORRECT IT?

>> THANKS, I JURY. — AUDREY. I APPRECIATE HER COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY. IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING TO COME INTO THAT APARTMENT AND IT MAY SURPRISE PEOPLE BUT I HAVE BEEN — SENSED A DEEP COMMITMENT AT EVERY LEVEL ACROSS THE INTERIOR. WE DO NOT HAVE AS MUCH DIVERSITY AS THE NATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. WE DON’T HAVE THE BROAD AMERICAN PUBLIC ENJOYING THE PUBLIC LANDS IN RELATION TO THEIR MAKEUP OF OUR POPULATION. I BELIEVE PUBLIC LANDS NEED TO BE ACCESSIBLE AND WELCOMING TO THE WHOLE PUBLIC. PART OF THAT IS THAT THE FACE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. WHAT IS THE FACE OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP THAT IS CREATING ROLE MODELS AND ASPIRATIONS SO THAT PEOPLE DO SAY THIS IS A PLACE I WOULD LIKE TO BRING MY TALENTS? I HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO DIG INTO THIS TOPIC INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE INTERIOR. AS I HAVE GONE AROUND THE LANDSCAPE AND MET WITH MANAGERS, NATIONAL PARK SUPERINTENDENT, BLM STATE DIRECTORS, I HAVE SENSED A CONSISTENT COMMITMENT TO INCREASING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR WORK FORCE AND MAKING SURE OUR COUNTRY IS MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE POPULATION. I WILL ALSO SAY, OUR YOUTH HIRING PROGRAMS, WHICH, BY THE NATURE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE POPULATION, HAVE BEEN MORE DIVERSE. AS WE WELCOME YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THIS ORGANIZATION, THEY GET US ON THE RADAR IN THEIR THINKING ABOUT THEIR COLLEGE CAREER. THEY ARE DECIDING, WHAT DO I DO? MAY BE BECOMING A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST IS OF INTEREST. MAYBE BECOMING A PARK RANGER IS AN INTEREST. OR A LAND MANAGER. THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN HIT. WE JUST HAVE TO GET PAST THIS SO WE CAN DO WHAT YOU EXPECT OF US. MAKE SURE WHEN WE ARE HIRING WE ARE REFLECTING THE COUNTRY AND WHEN PEOPLE VISIT, THEY SEE PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THEM. AND THAT UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT IS SO RICH. ALL OF IT IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT.

>> THANK YOU, SECRETARY JEWELL. ONE FINAL QUESTION FROM NEW MEXICO. THIS IS RELATED TO YOUR BE IN — URBAN PARKS. HAD YOU SEE THEM MEETING YOUR GOALS OF GETTING MORE PEOPLE OUTSIDE?

>> ONE OF THE MAJOR TRENDS AROUND THE COUNTRY IS URBANIZATION. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO CITIES. WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT TO HOW MUCH SCREEN TIME WE SPEND, HOW MUCH TIME OUR CHILDREN ARE IN ORGANIZED SPORTS THAT TAKES THEM AWAY FROM THE NATURAL WONDER OF EXPLORING THE OUTDOORS OR CREATING THEIR OWN GAMES, WE GET A DISCONNECT FROM NATURE THAT IS UNDERMINING ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS WE HAVE AS HUMAN BEINGS, ENGAGING WITH NATURE. URBAN PARKS AND REFUGES, CITY PARKS, VACANT LOTS, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO A CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT. CHILDREN WILL INVENT NAMES IF YOU GIVE THEM A CHANCE. THEY WILL RESOLVE THEIR OWN CONFLICTS. YOU DON’T HAVE TO TELL THEM, IF THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT. NATURE IS THE BEST CLASSROOM FOR SO MUCH OF WHAT WE NEED AS ADULTS IN LIVING TOGETHER IN A CIVIL SOCIETY. I THINK PARKS PROVIDE A GREAT SYSTEM TO APPRECIATE THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGEES, THE VAST LANDS OF THE BLM. EVEN IN INDIAN COUNTRY. IN TRIBAL AREAS, FINDING OPPORTUNITIES CAN — TO CONNECT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HISTORY AND CULTURE AND CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT. WHETHER URBAN, TRIBAL, CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO NATURE IS CRITICAL IN MAKING SURE IT IS CLOSE TO HOME, ACCESSIBLE WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THAT IS IMPORTANT. FOR ALL OF YOU LISTENING, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A PERSON BY THE HAND, BORROW ONE IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN YOURSELF, GET THEM INTO THE PUBLIC LANDS, IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO DO A LITTLE WORK, ALL THE BETTER. CONNECT OUR LITTLE PEOPLE TO THE GREEN WORLD WE ARE ALL A PART OF SO THEY CAN CARE FOR THESE PLACES THAT ARE SO SPECIAL.

>> THANK YOU, SECRETARY JEWELL. AND THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN FOR OUR SPECIAL CHAT WITH SECRETARY JEWELL. WE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT QUESTIONS AND WE WILL BE POSTING THIS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND ON DOI.GOV. AND IT WILL REMAIN ON LIVE STREAM THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. ANY PARTING REMARKS?

>> COME OUT AND PLAY ON SATURDAY. DO SOME WORK. PUBLICLANDSDAY.ORG. IT WILL TELL YOU WHERE TO GO. GOSH, WHETHER THE WEATHER IS LIKE THIS OR WHETHER IT IS POURING RAIN, THE NATURAL WORLD IS WHAT WE ARE ALL A PART OF. I WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET OUT AND ENJOY IT. THANK THEM FOR WHAT THEY DO. IT IS NOT EASY TO BE A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE BUT OUR WORK IS IMPORTANT.

>> JUST AS A FINAL PARTING GIFT, WE HAD A PROJECT THIS SUMMER. WE ASKED YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS OF YOUR FAVORITE ACTIVITIES ON ALL OF OUR PUBLIC LANDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HIS RESPONSE WAS UNBELIEVABLE. — YOUR RESPONSE WAS UNBELIEVABLE. EVERY STATE. IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THEM. WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WE HAVE RECEIVED. THIS IS JUST A ROUGH CUT. HE WILL HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL LATER THIS WEEK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

BLM considers plan to intensify fertility program for wild horses

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

Cross-posted from The Lovell Chronicle, Wyoming for educational purposes:

By Chronicle2 · September 4, 2013

The BLM is considering a modification to the current fertility plan it uses to control the number of horses on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. The new plan will significantly increase the number of mares darted with the fertility drug PZP.

Photographer Kassi Renner captures a great image during a rare sighting of the famous stallion Cloud as he takes a flying leap across some rocks on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.
Courtesy photo

According to language in a scoping report released in the spring of 2013, the goal of the new plan is to treat “nearly all of the mares” on the range with the fertility drug, theoretically rendering them infertile for a period of time. Currently a group of mares in the 5-10-year-old range are not treated with the drug and remain able to reproduce on the range.

Since the 31,000-acre range is fenced, the number of horses must be kept in check to prevent a negative impact on the land and to preserve the limited resources the horses themselves require for their own survival. The BLM plan is to maintain an appropriate management level (AML) of 90-120 wild horses on the range, by means of a carefully planned fertility program.

The original fertility plan, which was implemented in May of 2009, calls for treating a significant number of mares using a system of darting the horses with the drug PZP, which, in theory, renders the mares infertile for one breeding period (approximately one year).

The mares must first be primed with one dose and then darted with second dose before they are rendered infertile. In the opinion of some wild horse advocates, like Matthew Dillon of the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center (PMWMC) in Lovell, not darting the mares in the 5-10-year-old cohort preserves the long-range survival of the herd by preserving certain historic blood lines and maintaining genetic diversity of the herd. Dillon has worked very closely with the BLM in recent years to share his extensive knowledge about the various bloodlines and has made many recommendations to the BLM (which they have adopted) regarding which horses can be safely removed from the range to preserve those bloodlines. He noted that the use of PZP is not a foolproof system and has in a few instances rendered mares completely infertile after just one dose and in other cases not rendered certain mares infertile at all. Mares that have received repeated doses have sometimes lost their ability to reproduce altogether.

“One of the reasons we don’t like the modified program is that we know anything can happen out there on the range,” said Dillon. “Right now we are not having a lot of foal deaths, but that can change. One of the reasons we like the conservative approach of the current program is that we always have that core group of mares that we can count on to reproduce if repopulating becomes necessary due to some natural cause.”

Dillon said he prefers to see the BLM stick to the more conservative approach by leaving certain mares out of the program and doing smaller gathers of 10 or fewer horses to manage the herd.

The PMWMC went on record with the BLM this week in a letter signed by all of its board members expressing their opposition to the plan, stating that “the long-term sustainability of the herd should be the primary management goal…with maintaining primary bloodlines as an objective.”

“I think the plan puts the needs of the horses being removed above the needs of the horses remaining on the range,” said PMWMC board member Nancy Cerroni.

Cerroni acknowledged that the typical 50 horses removed in a gather can be difficult to adopt out, but she said she believes that finding more adoptive homes is the answer, not limiting the breeding population.

“I really don’t think we’ve tapped into all of the avenues for adopting in today’s horse world,” she said. “I think if the problem is getting the horses adopted out that are removed from the range, we should work on that problem as opposed to creating a new problem with a more aggressive fertility program.”

The existing five-year plan, which is scheduled to end in 2015 has significantly reduced the number of horses on the range, but it has not eliminated the need for gathers and the subsequent need to adopt out the horses removed from the range. Some advocates like Ginger Kathrens of the Cloud Foundation, a wild horse advocacy group based in Colorado, say the adoption process has become problematic in that it is becoming more and more difficult to find homes for the horses that are taken off the range. Kathrens, who in the past has been adamantly opposed to the use of PZP on the mares, went so far as to recommend an increase in the number of mares that are darted with PZP in order to reduce the need for removal of horses from the range.

“I am concerned about how difficult it was to get the last group of horses adopted out that were removed from the range during the most recent gather in 2012,” said Kathrens. “In 2009, I saw about 100 people at the auction looking to adopt horses. This year it was more like 40 and many of those were from the same family. There were many instances where horses were not being bid on at all, and some were going for as little as $125. I had to get on the phone and call everyone I knew to get the horses adopted out this time. I just don’t know that I can do that again. That’s why I suggested a more aggressive treatment program using PZP. It’s the only alternative I see right now that is in the best interest of the horses.”

Kathrens said her preference would be to allow nature to take its course, with herd reduction occurring through predation by mountain lions. She noted that more frequent hunting of mountain lions in recent years has significantly impacted that natural cycle, causing more foals to survive than would normally occur.

“My preference would be to see the fence come down, a bigger population of active predators like mountain lions controlling the size of the herd and a return to survival of the fittest,” said Kathrens. “Unfortunately, that’s not realistic right now.”

She noted that, ironically, she is involved in a lawsuit against the BLM regarding the fence but feels she is forced to actually collaborate with them on the issue of the fertility program in the best interest of the horses.

“I think it’s best for horses to live and die on the range,” said Kathrens. “Even in cases where that horse, as a foal, may only live a few days. It is, in my opinion, better for that horse to have lived and died on the range.”

Kathrens sent a letter to the BLM on behalf of the Cloud Foundation in the spring stating, “The Cloud Foundation (TCF) recommends the more effective use of the well-vetted, remotely delivered, reversible one-year vaccine, PZP (Porcine Zona Pellucida) for mares in the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range (PMWHR), with the goal of eliminating removals or limiting future removals to 10 young horses or fewer every four or five years.”

The BLM incorporated the Cloud Foundation’s suggestion to increase utilization of the PZP program in their new plan, which calls for modifying the current fertility control prescription to apply fertility control to “nearly every mare on the PMWHR through 2015 in order to help maintain the appropriate management level of 90-120 wild horses and to reduce the need for a large scale gather.

Kathrens said the goal of TCF is to see mortality and reproduction of the herd roughly equal over time. She referred to this as a type of “on the range management,” that TCF advocates for all the herds, not just the Pryor Mountain herd.

“We advocate for the protection of predators–as a form of natural management,” she explained. “From 2001 to 2005, this objective was met on the Pryors, until BLM managers encouraged the hunting of mountain lions and the natural balance was destroyed.”

The modified plan is under a 30-day public review and comment that will end on Sept. 6, 2013. If adopted, the plan will immediately go into effect in September of 2013.

Kristen Lenhardt of the BLM said that the public comment gathering by the BLM during the review period is taken very seriously and is oftentimes incorporated into the final decision made by the BLM.

“Now is a critical time frame for the public to comment,” said Lenhardt. “We encourage the public to submit their comments and suggestions so we can take them into consideration when making this important decision.”

The documents are available for public review on the Billings field office of the BLM website: http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/billings_field_office/wildhorses/pryorherd.html. Instructions for submitting comments are also available on that website.

by Patti Carpenter

2009 Memorandum on PZP fertility control trials

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

Secretary Ken Salazar Public Domainhttp://www.doi.gov/images/SecySalazarOfficialPortrait.jpg

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240

March 12, 2009

In Reply Refer To:

4710 (260) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 03/17/2009

Instruction Memorandum No. 2009-090

Expires: 09/30/2010

To: All Field Officials (except Alaska)

From: Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning

Subject: Population-Level Fertility Control Field Trials: Herd Management Area (HMA) Selection, Vaccine Application, Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

Program Area: Wild Horse and Burro Program

Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum is to establish guidance for population-level fertility control field research trials. The primary objective of these trials is to evaluate the effects of a single year or 22-month Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) immunocontraceptive vaccine treatment on wild horse population growth rates while expanding the use of these tools in the field.

Policy/Action: This policy establishes guidelines for selecting HMAs for population-level fertility control treatment, vaccine application, and post-treatment monitoring and reporting. It is the policy of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to apply fertility control as a component of all gathers unless there is a compelling management reason not to do so.

HMA Selection

Managers are directed to explore options for fertility control trials in all HMAs or complexes when they are scheduled for gathers. Further, an alternative outlining implementation of a fertility control treatment under a population-level research trial shall be analyzed in all gather plan environmental assessments (EA’s). Attachment 1 contains the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the implementation of the single-year and 22-month PZP agents, which should be referenced in the EA.

Fertility control should not be used in a manner that would threaten the health of individual animals or the long-term viability of any herd. In order to address the latter requirement, managers must evaluate the potential effects of fertility control on herd growth rates through use of the Jenkins Population Model (WinEquus). Fertility control application should achieve a substantial treatment effect while maintaining some long-term population growth to mitigate the effects of potential environmental catastrophes.

Fertility control will have the greatest beneficial impact where:

Annual herd growth rates are typically greater than 5%.
Post-gather herd size is estimated to be greater than 50 animals.
Treatment of at least 50% of all breeding-age mares within the herd is possible using either application in conjunction with gathers or remote delivery (darting). A maximum of 90% of all mares should be treated and our goal should be to achieve as close as to this percentage as possible in order to maximize treatment effects.

Fertility control should not be dismissed as a potential management action even if the above conditions are not met. Regardless of primary capture method (helicopter drive-trapping or bait/water trapping), managers should strive to gather horses in sufficient numbers to achieve the goals of the management action, such as selective removal and fertility control treatment. After decisions are made to apply fertility control, historical herd information, remote darting success (if employed) and post-gather herd demographic data must be reported to the National Program Office (NPO). See the Reporting Requirements section on page four.

Vaccine Application and Animal Identification at Gather Sites Using the 22-Month Vaccine

Once an HMA has been selected as a population-level field trial site, the NPO will designate a trained applicator to administer the vaccine during the scheduled gather. The applicator will be responsible for securing the necessary vaccine from the NPO, transporting all application materials and freeze-marking equipment to the gather site, administering the treatment, and filing a treatment report with the NPO. See Attachment 1 for SOP for Population-level Fertility Control Treatments.

All treated mares will be freeze-marked with two 3.5-inch letters on the left hip for treatment tracking purposes. The only exception to this requirement is when each treated mare can be clearly and specifically identified through photographs. The treatment letters will be assigned and provided by the NPO after the gather and fertility control application is approved by the authorized officer. A different first letter is assigned for each fiscal year starting with fiscal year 2004 and the letter “A.” The second letter of the freeze-mark is specific to the application.

Each BLM State Office (SO) is responsible for coordinating with the State Brand Inspector on the use of the identified two-letter freeze-mark. Based on this coordination, possible alternatives or additions to this marking policy are listed below:

Use of the adult or foal size angle-numeric BLM freezemark on the neck while recording each treatment product and date with the individual horse’s freezemark number.
Registration of the BLM fertility control hip mark.
Use of a registered brand furnished by the State.
Use of the same hip freeze-mark for all fertility control treatments within that State’s jurisdiction plus an additional freeze-mark on the neck to differentiate between treatments within the State.
Use of the NPO assigned freeze-mark plus additional freeze-mark on the neck to differentiate between treatments within the State.

As an example, the Nevada State Brand Inspector requires that an “F” freeze-mark be applied to the left neck along with the two-letter hip mark assigned by NPO.

Regardless of how the mares are marked, the marks must be identified in the fertility control treatment report in order to track when the mares were treated and the treatment protocol used.

Mares may be considered for re-treatment during subsequent gathers. All re-treatments will consist of the multi-year vaccine unless specifically approved by the NPO. Any re-treated mares must be re-marked or clearly identifiable for future information.

Vaccine Application and Animal Identification Using Remote Delivery (Darting)

Remote delivery of the one year vaccine by a trained darter/applicator will be considered and approved only when (1) application of the current 22-month PZP agent is not feasible because a gather will not be conducted, and (2) the targeted animals can be clearly and specifically identified on an on-going basis through photographs and/or markings. No animals should be darted that cannot be clearly and positively identified later as a treated animal. To increase the success rate of the darting and to insure proper placement of the vaccine, darting should occur along travel corridors or at water sources. If necessary, bait stations using hay or salt may be utilized to draw the horses into specific areas for treatment. The applicator will maintain records containing the basic information on the color and markings of the mare darted and her photographs, darting location, and whether the used darts were recovered from the field. See Appendix 1 for SOP for Population-Level Fertility Control Treatments.

Post-treatment Monitoring

At a minimum, the standard data collected on each treated herd will include one aerial population survey prior to any subsequent gather. This flight will generally occur 3 to 4 years after the fertility control treatment and will be conducted as a routine pre-gather inventory funded by the Field Office (FO). The flight should be timed to assure that the majority of foaling is completed, which for most herds will require that flights be scheduled after August 1^st. In addition to pre-gather population data (herd size), information on past removals, sex ratio, and age structure (capture data) will be submitted to the NPO after the first post-treatment gather.

The following standard data will be collected during all post-treatment population surveys:

Total number of adult (yearling and older) horses observed.
Total number of foals observed.

These data are to be recorded on the Aerial Survey Report form (Attachment 4). In planning post-treatment population surveys, the new population estimation techniques being developed by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are strongly recommended. In general, however, it is not necessary that anyone try to identify treated and untreated mares and specifically which mares have foaled during aerial surveys.

To obtain more specific information on vaccine efficacy, some HMAs may be selected for intensive monitoring beginning the first year after treatment and ending with the first gather that follows treatment. These surveys should be completed annually within the same month for consistency of the data. Selection will be based on the proportion of treated mares in the herd, degree of success with vaccine application, degree to which HMA selection criteria are met, and opportunities for good quality data collection. This determination will be made by the WH&B Research Advisory Team and the NPO in consultation with the appropriate Field Office (FO) and State Office (SO). HMAs selected for intensive monitoring will be identified in that specific State’s Annual Work Plan. Washington Office 260 (WO260) will provide funding for the annual surveys in those HMAs selected for intensive monitoring.

Field Office personnel may conduct more intensive on-the-ground field monitoring of these herds as time and budget allow. These data should be limited to: 1) the annual number of marked and unmarked mares with and without foals and 2) foaling seasonality. These data, generated for FO use, should be submitted to the NPO to supplement research by the USGS.

Reporting Requirements

1) When an HMA is selected for fertility control treatment, the HMA manager will initiate and complete the appropriate sections of the Gather, Removal, and Treatment Summary Report (Attachment 2) and submit the report to the NPO. At the conclusion of the gather and treatment, the HMA manager will complete the remainder of the Gather, Removal, and Treatment Summary Report and submit it to the NPO within 30 days. The NPO will file and maintain these reports, with a copy sent to the National WH&B Research Coordinator.

2) Following treatment, the fertility control applicator will complete a PZP Application Report and PZP Application Data Sheet (Attachments 3 & 4) and submit it to the NPO that summarizes the treatment. The NPO will maintain this information and provide copies of the reports to appropriate FOs and USGS.

3) Managers are required to send post-treatment monitoring data (Aerial Survey Report, Attachment 5) to the NPO within 30 days of completing each aerial survey. Any additional on-the-ground monitoring data should be sent to the NPO on an annual basis by December 31^st.

4) During the next post-treatment gather (generally 4 to 6 years after treatment), the manager will complete a new Gather, Removal, and Treatment Summary Report with pertinent information and submit the report to the NPO. Completion of this report will fulfill the requirements for monitoring and reporting for each population-level study. A possible exception would be if mares are treated (or re-treated) and the HMA is retained as a population-level study herd.

The USGS will analyze all standard data collected. The results of these analyses along with other research efforts will help determine the future use of PZP fertility control for management of wild horse herds by the BLM.

Timeframe: This Instruction Memorandum is effective upon issuance.

Budget Impact: Implementation of this policy will achieve cost savings by reducing the numbers of excess animals removed from the range and minimizing the numbers of less adoptable animals removed. The costs to administer the one-year PZP agent include the labor and equipment costs for the applicator and assistant of roughly $4,000/month and the treatment cost of approximately $25 per animal. The costs to administer the 22-month PZP agent include the capture cost of about $1,000 per animal treated (under normal sex ratios it requires two horses, one stud and one mare, to be captured for each mare treated) and the PZP vaccine is approximately $250 per animal. The budgetary savings for each foal not born due to fertility control is about $500 for capture, $1,100 for adoption prep and short-term holding, $500-1,000 for adoption costs, and approximately $475 per year for long-term holding of animals removed but not adopted. For each animal that would have been maintained at long term holding for the remainder of its life after capture, the total cost savings is about $13,000. Any additional FO-level monitoring will be accomplished while conducting other routine field activities at no additional cost.

Population-level studies will help to further evaluate the effectiveness of fertility control in wild horse herds. Recent research results showed that application of the current 22-month PZP contraceptive appears capable of reducing operating costs for managing wild horse populations. Application of a 3-4 year contraceptive, when developed, tested, and available, may be capable of reducing operating costs by even more (Bartholow, 2004).

Background: The one-year PZP vaccine has been used with success on the Pryor Mountain and the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Ranges. The 22-month PZP vaccine has been administered to 1,808 wild horse mares in 47 HMAs since fiscal year 2004. This formulation has been shown to provide infertility potentially through the third year post-treatment as determined by a trial conducted at the Clan Alpine HMA in 1999. The intent of the ongoing population-level fertility control trials is to determine if the rate of population growth in wild horse herds can be reduced through the use of the currently available 22-month time-release PZP vaccine, applied within a 3-4 year gather and treatment cycle. Monitoring data collected over the next few years are essential to determine the effectiveness of the vaccine when applied on a broad scale as well as its potential for management use.

PZP is classified as an Investigational New Animal Drug and some level of monitoring will continue to be required until such time as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) either reclassify the vaccine or provide some other form of relief.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: The monitoring requirements do not change or affect any manual or handbook.

Coordination: The requirements outlined in this policy have been evaluated by the National Wild Horse and Burro Research Advisory Team, coordinated with the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board, and reviewed by Field Specialists.

Contact: Questions concerning this policy should be directed to Alan Shepherd, WH&B Research Coordinator at the Wyoming State Office in Cheyenne, Wyoming at (307) 775-6097.

Reference: Bartholow, J.M. 2004. An economic analysis of alternative fertility control and associated management techniques for three BLM wild horse herds. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Geological Survey. Open-File Report 2004-1199. 33 p.

Signed by: Authenticated by:

Edwin L. Roberson Robert M. Williams

Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560

Renewable Resources and Planning

5 Attachments

1- Standard Operating Procedure for Population0level Fertility Control Treatments (2 pp)

2- Gather Removal, and Treatment Report (3 pp)

3- PZP Application Report (1 p)

4- PZP Application Data Sheet (1 p)

5- Aerial Survey Report (1 p)

Original document: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/Instruction_Memos_and_Bulletins/national_instruction/2009/IM_2009-090.html

Why end natural selection in the Pryors?

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/mt/main_story.Par.31432.File.dat/TopStoryHorse.pdf

Should humans run a wild horse breeding program or does nature know best?

From: (http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/mt/main_story.Par.31432.File.dat/TopStoryHorse.pdf) The BLM welcomed a new partner this spring. The adept volunteer efforts of the Cloud Foundation’s Effie Orser, Lauryn Wachs, and Ginger Kathrens contributed to the successful completion of this year’s fertility treatments in record time. The trio worked in concert with two BLM employees, Ryan Brad- shaw and Jerad Werning, who were darting wild horses elsewhere on the Range.

Statement from Protect Mustangs

We are against the Cloud Foundation and BLM partnership for extreme PZP in the Pryors for the following reasons:

1.) It ruins natural selection.

2.) According to the National Academy of Sciences there is no evidence of overpopulation.

3.) Reserve design is the healthy choice for management.

4.) Risks of sterility could ruin the herd’s genetic viability.

5.) Unnatural and increased stress on wild mares from wild stallions continuously trying to breed them month after month, year after year, until they are allowed by mankind to have one foal.

6.) Man made fertility control drugs endanger the wild herds’ ability to adapt through reproduction to environmental stresses.

7.) The “Restricted Use Pesticide” known as PZP is not allowed on domestic horses–surely for safety concerns and therefore should not be allowed on native wild horses who have been misclassified as “pests” by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Natural selection has allowed native wild horses to evolve and survive for more than a million years. We believe it is unethical for a government agency and a nonprofit organization to go against natural evolution and manipulate breeding through excessive roundups and drugs approved for use as “restricted use pesticides”.

Now the public is witnessing the final phase of the Salazar Plan announced in 2009 (managing wild horses to extinction) using an EPA fast-tracked “Restricted Use Pesticide” called Porcine zona pellucida–a form of zona pellucida extracted from the ovaries of pigs.

And speaking of pigs, where are the pigs’ ovaries coming from? How were the pig’s ovaries extracted?

The Pryor Mountain Herd is already one of the two herds designated with “Treasured” status–that means they are protected and will never disappear. No need to sell out to “restricted use pesticides” for “pest” control!

“We are proud to be working with the BLM, and we hope our partnership with them will continue and may set an example for the management of other wild herds throughout the West,” said Ginger Kathens, Executive Director of The Cloud Foundation in the BLM’s top story released on August 12, 2013.

What happened to The Cloud Foundation fighting for America’s wild horses’ right to live their natural lives in freedom?

“Why is Ginger Kathrens now supporting the extreme use of PZP when a couple of years ago she appeared to be against using the drug, against ruining natural selection and against creating zoo-like settings on mountaintops?” asks Anne Novak, Executive Director of Protect Mustangs. “We want a moratorium on roundups and call for immediate population studies before blasting wild horses with fertility control and sterilization.”

Links of interest:

Ginger Kathrens’ paper PZP-22… Do Unintended Side-Effects Outweigh Benefits? http://protectmustangs.org/?p=3270

Cloud Foundation Partnership with BLM to dart the Pryor herd with the “Restricted Use Pesticide” known as PZP to “control” fertility http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/mt/main_story.Par.31432.File.dat/TopStoryHorse.pdf

Ecologist Craig Downer speaks out against using PZP in the Pryors http://protectmustangs.org/?p=4178

Salazar presents ambitious plan to manage wild horses, Washington Post: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2009-10-08/news/36823356_1_wild-horses-burros-wild-herd

Ken Salazar’s wild horse plan fuels accusations that he’s in the pocket of ranchers, Huff Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/17/ken-salazars-wild-horse-p_n_324799.html

BLM announces The Salazar Plan (press release) http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/newsroom/2009/october/salazar_seeks_congressional.html

Letter from Anne announcing Rally to Stop the Roundups & Slaughter on Flag Day, June 14th

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

Anne Novak with friendly wild horses. (Photo © Irma Novak)

Dear Friends,

Due to public outrage, over the cruel helicopter roundups and stockpiling of wild horses, 54 members of Congress cared and requested the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study the broken Wild Horse & Burro Program.

We are grateful the NAS report, released yesterday, suggests stopping the fiscally irresponsible roundups that force the herds to populate in order to avoid extinction.

According to a press release from NAS released Wednesday, “The U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) current practice of removing free-ranging horses from public lands promotes a high population growth rate, and maintaining them in long-term holding facilities is both economically unsustainable and incongruent with public expectations, says a new report by the National Research Council.”

We regret the BLM took charge of the close to $1.5 million study and appeared to avoid analyzing the effects of livestock permittees on public land. If livestock damage could have been studied then solutions could be found.

We are concerned there is a conflict of interest with several parties involved in the study including the BLM, fertility control scientists and lobbyists, as well as members of the committee such as:

One member of the committee with ties to the Nevada Cattleman’s Association–an obvious conflict of interest.
Two provisional committee members with ties to the Wildlife Society, an organization that has openly opposed wild horses.
Some members of the committee are supportive of the drug GonaCon®, a contraceptive drug that has raised serious health/side-effect concerns if used on wild horses.
There is no one on the provisional committee who recognizes the scientific evidence that supports wild horses as a returned native species.

Protect Mustangs is against using PZP and GonaCon@ on a return-native species. The fertility control drugs never passed the FDA but were approved by the EPA as a ‘restricted use pesticide’ only. Native wild horses are not pests. If this drug is so safe then why isn’t it approved for domestic horses?

We believe survival of the fittest is essential and that man must not domesticate native wild horses. Treating wild horses with fertility control puts them at risk of loosing their wild status.

Left alone, mustangs will fill their niche, benefit the ecosystem while helping to reverse desertification in the wild.

When facing extinction, species often increase breeding to survive. With the majority of wild horses removed, this what’s going on now. The birth rate cannot determine the size of population.

BLM’s inflated population “estimates” were used to justify roundups. Air and ground census by citizens are revealing drastically lower numbers.

I have been requesting an accurate census since 2009. Nothing has happened except roundups and removals. A flimsy modeling program for estimates is not enough. It’s too easy to mistake cows for horses from the air as well as to double count horses because they move around so much.

We face a crisis now with advocates estimating only 18,000 wild horses are left on all public land and less than 50,000 stockpiled in government holding–unless some have been sold into the slaughter pipeline. Either way, there are no “excess” wild horses and never were.

This spring we called for a freeze on roundups and for all wild horses to be returned to the herd management areas due to the Sequester. This would cut spending and let them fill their place in the ecosystem at zero cost to the taxpayer after transport. We are waiting to hear back from Secretary Jewell now that the NAS report is out and making a compelling case to stop the roundups and showing all the flaws in “the program”.

The energy and water public land grab is the primary reason for wild horse roundups and removals. It has nothing to do with animal welfare.

It’s been proven and well documented that the majority of wild horses removed are healthy and thriving–not starving as BLM was telling the press and public for decades.

It’s also been proven that old school livestock grazing causes range damage. The BLM looked the other way and tried to blame wild horses until that myth was busted with the PEER Report.

Reports come in of sales to slaughter. What did happen to the 1,700 wild horses Tom Davis bought? Why did the BLM quickly sell Davis more than 90 California native wild horses from the High Rock Range who were fit and majestic?

We are concerned the value of America’s wild horses has not been understood on Wall Street. Politics is a dirty business–especially at the dawn of the New Energy Frontier–the next gold rush. The environment must not suffer when creating an export zone for renewables. Will America sacrifice it’s land, water, air and native species to sell natural gas to Asia?

We’d like to see some common sense for land management so we don’t turn it into an industrial wasteland.

Today our icons of freedom–our native horses–need your help. If there is one thing we can all agree upon it’s to stop the roundups and stop the slaughter.

Organize in your communities to make the change you want to see, visit your elected officials and join the national rally to Stop the Roundups & Slaughter on Flag Day, June 14th.

We thank you for taking action because you care about America’s wild horses and burros!

All my best wishes,

Anne Novak

Executive Director for Protect Mustangs

Montreal Gazette: Independent panel: Wild horse roundups don’t work; use fertility drugs, let nature cull herds

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

Wild horse mares in holding (Photo © Anne Novak, all rights reserved.)

as seen in the Montreal Gazette, June 5, 2013

BY SCOTT SONNER, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

RENO, Nev. – A scathing independent scientific review of wild horse roundups in the U.S. West concludes the government would be better off investing in widespread fertility control of the mustangs and let nature cull any excess herds instead of spending millions to house them in overflowing holding pens.

A 14-member panel assembled by the National Science Academy’s National Research Council, at the request of the Bureau of Land Management, concluded BLM’s removal of nearly 100,000 horses from the Western range over the past decade is probably having the opposite effect of its intention to ease ecological damage and reduce overpopulated herds.

By stepping in prematurely when food and water supplies remain adequate, and with most natural predators long gone, the land management agency is producing artificial conditions that ultimately serve to perpetuate population growth, the committee said Wednesday in a 451-page report recommending more emphasis on the use of contraceptives and other methods of fertility control.

The research panel sympathized with BLM’s struggle to find middle ground between horse advocates and ranchers who see the animals as unwelcome competitors for forage. It noted there’s “little if any public support” for allowing harm to come to either the horses or the rangeland itself.

The report says the current method may work in the short term, but results in continually high population growth, exacerbating the long-term problem.

The American Wild Horse Preservation Fund, a national coalition of more than 50 advocacy groups, said the report makes a strong case for an immediate halt to the roundups that livestock ranchers say are necessary to protect the range and provide their sheep and cattle with a fair share of forage.

“This is a turning point for the decades-long fight to protect America’s mustangs,” said Neda DeMayo, president of the coalition’s Return to Freedom.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is among the livestock groups that have voiced support in the past for aggressive, increased use of fertility control but remain adamantly opposed to curtailing roundups. Horse advocates themselves are not united behind the idea of stepping up use of contraception on the range.

“We are grateful that the National Academy of Science recommends stopping cruel roundups, but we challenge their decision to control alleged overpopulation like a domestic herd with humans deciding who survives and breeds,” said Anne Novak, executive director of Protect Mustangs in San Francisco.

The conflict has raged for decades but has intensified in recent years for cash-strapped federal land managers with skyrocketing bills for food and corrals and no room for incoming animals.

BLM officials said they welcomed the recommendations in their effort to make the program more cost-effective but had no immediate reaction to the criticisms.

“Our agency is committed to protecting and managing these iconic animals for current and future generations,” Deputy Director Neil Kornze said.

Compounding the problem is a horse census system and rangeland assessment practice rife with inconsistencies and poor documentation, the committee said, noting a previous NRC committee charged with the same task reached the same conclusion 30 years ago.

Panel members said they found little scientific basis for establishing what BLM considers to be appropriate, ecologically based caps on horse numbers and even less basis for estimating the overall population itself.

“It seems that the national statistics are the product of hundreds of subjective, probably independent, judgments and assumptions by range managers and administrators,” the report said.

BLM’s current population estimate likely is anywhere from 10 per cent to 50 per cent short of the true level, the report said.

The questions about the estimates come after a BLM report said the number of animals at holding facilities surpassed the estimated number on the range in 10 Western states earlier this year for the first time since President Richard Nixon signed the Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.

The agency averaged removing 8,000 horses from the range annually from 2002 to 2011. Last year, it spent 60 per cent of its wild horse budget on holding facilities alone, more than $40 million, the committee said.

Palmer said the public traditionally adopted about 3,000 of the horses annually but that has fallen off in recent years.

“The goal would be to manage horses better on the range so that any numbers that would be taken off would be matched with the adoption demand, which is not the current case. The number taken off far exceeds the adoption demand.”

EPA approves a long lasting pesticide/infertility vaccine for wild horses and burros

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Protect Mustangs

Your government at work

APHIS NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Legislative and Public Affairs 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737-1232 • Voice (301) 851-4100 • Web: http://www.aphis.usda.gov

Contact: Gail Keirn (970) 266-6007 Lyndsay Cole (301) 538-9213

USDA-Developed Vaccine for Wild Horses and Burros Gains EPA Registration

WASHINGTON, February 13, 2013—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services’ (WS) National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) today announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted regulatory approval for the use of GonaConTM – Equine immunocontraceptive vaccine (GonaCon) in adult female wild or feral horses and burros. GonaCon was developed by NWRC scientists and is the first single-shot, multiyear wildlife contraceptive for use in mammals.

“Since 2009, GonaCon has been available for use in female white-tailed deer. We are pleased to be able to expand the vaccine’s application to include wild horses and burros,” said NWRC Director Larry Clark. “This nonlethal tool will provide another option to wildlife managers working to reduce overabundant wild horse and burro populations in the United States.”

Overpopulation of wild horses and burros is a significant concern in the United States, as these animals can overgraze native plant species and compete with livestock and local wildlife for food and habitat. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) estimates that approximately 37,300 wild horses and burros (about 31,500 horses and 5,800 burros) are roaming on BLM- managed rangelands in 10 Western states. The estimated current free-roaming population exceeds by nearly 11,000 the number that the BLM has determined can exist in balance with other public rangeland resources and uses. Current management options are limited with the majority of actions involving the removal of horses and burros from the range and either offering them for adoption or holding them indefinitely in captivity. The BLM estimates there are more than 49,000 wild horses and burros off of BLM-managed lands that are fed and cared for at short-term corrals and long-term pastures.

The GonaCon-Equine vaccine stimulates the production of antibodies that bind to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in an animal’s body. GnRH signals the production of sex hormones (e.g., estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). By binding to GnRH, the antibodies reduce GnRH’s ability to stimulate the release of these sex hormones. All sexual activity is decreased, and animals remain in a nonreproductive state as long as a sufficient level of antibody activity is present. The product can be delivered by hand injection, jab stick, or darting.

GonaCon-Equine is registered as a restricted-use pesticide, and all users must be certified pesticide applicators or persons under their direct supervision. Only USDA-WS and Veterinary Services, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Department of Defense, Federally recognized Indian Tribes, State agencies responsible for wild or feral horse and burro management, public and private wild horse sanctuaries, or persons working under their authority can use it. In order for GonaCon to be usedin any given State, it must also be registered with the State’s pesticide registration authority. Additionally, users are encouraged to contact their State fish and game/natural resource agency to determine specific State requirements. The vaccine is currently manufactured by NWRC; however, the WS program is interested in licensing the vaccine to a private manufacturer.

Future NWRC research with GonaCon will likely involve studies to support expanded registration to other species (e.g., prairie dogs and feral dogs) and aid in preventing the transmission of wildlife diseases.

WS-NWRC is the Federal institution devoted to resolving problems caused by the interaction of wild animals and society. The center applies scientific expertise to the development of practical methods to resolve these problems and to maintain the quality of the environments shared with wildlife. To learn more about NWRC, visit its Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/.

# Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet and through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

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