BATTLE MOUNTAIN - The Bureau of Land Management released its tentative fall-winter schedule for gathering wild horses and burros from overpopulated herds on drought-stricken western public rangelands. Changes from the previous gather schedule reflect a re-prioritizing of gathers based on drought and, in some cases, animal conditions that have been affected by diminishing forage and water across the West. The gathers and removals are needed to bring herd sizes into balance with other rangeland resources and uses, as required by federal law, according to a news release from the BLM. The BLM is also nearing full capacity at its short-term holding corrals and long-term holding pastures, thus constraining the agency's ability to remove as many of the animals necessary to reach appropriate management levels in Herd Management Areas. Because of these holding limits, the BLM continues to encourage the public to consider adopting a wild horse or burro • The gather of Maverick-Medicine Herd Management Areas in Nevada is cancelled because the animals are not in immediate declining condition. •The number of horses removed during the gather of the Wassuk Herd Management Area in Nevada was increased from 250 to 450 because of very poor animal condition resulting from lack of forage. •The horse removal number of the Little Owyhee Herd Management Area was increased from 544 to 800 because of severely limited water sources. •The gather of Snowstorm Mountains Herd Management Area in Nevada is cancelled because the animals are not in immediate declining condition. •The gather of Owyhee Herd Management Area in Nevada will seek to remove 50 rather than 11 horses because of severely limited water sources. The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.[[In-content Ad]]
