Forest Service scraps plan to round up Salt River horses
Updates:
August 6, 2015
Forest Service scraps plan to round up Salt River horses.
August 6, 2015
US Forest Services agrees to temporarly hold off on roundup.
Read the Forest Service press release HERE
August 5, 2015
Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05) today issued a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture. The letter was also signed by Congressman David Schweikert and Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema.
August 5, 2015
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey posts on FaceBook: “The federal government should leave our free roaming and wild horses alone. But if they don’t, Arizona will do everything we can to protect them, provide them sanctuary and ensure they are treated humanely.” See his Facebook post HERE
August 5, 2015
U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sent this letter to the U.S. Forest Service and the Arizona Department of Agriculture requesting that they postpone the roundup of horses from the Mesa Ranger District on the Tonto National Forest until there has been sufficient public engagement in the process, and that they respond to questions.
August 4, 2015
Read the press release statement from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community HERE
Only a few days remain until 100 plus wild horses will be rounded up and sold by the Forest Service. These horses make their home along the Salt River in the Tonto National Forest near Mesa, AZ. The horses are one of the main attractions that bring tourists from around the country and locals who love viewing them as they tube down the river.
These wild horses have existed in this area for well over a century and yet were not declared wild and free roaming under the Wild Horses and Burros Act of 1971.
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community successfully manages nearly 200 wild horses on their sacred lands. These wild horses use the Salt River to water. It is highly likely that even these protected wild horses could be removed during the roundup.
Please contact the following numbers/E-mails and request:
The Salt River wild horses need to be protected under the 1971 Act.
The roundup must be stopped.
FS must develop a management plan. Remind FS that they promised (June 11, 2012) to have a formalized management plan after data was gathered using the Salt River Pima Indian Community’s wild horse management as a benchmark for success. This was NOT done.
Following public outcry back in 2012, the Forest Service promised to gather information and explore options for managing these horses. (To my knowledge, they did neither.)
Neil Bosworth – Supervisor for the Tonto National Forest – 602-225-5200- nbosworth@fs.fed.us 2324 E. McDowell Rd. – Phoenix, AZ 85006
Clay Templin – Forest Fire Chief/Fire Staff Officer – Region 3 Southwestern (AZ/NM) – 602-225-5220 – ctemplin@fs.fed.us 2324 E. McDowell Rd. – Phoenix, AZ 85006
Gary Hanna- District Ranger – Region 3 Southwestern (AZ/NM – 480-610-3301- ghanna@fs.fed.us 5140 E. Ingram St. – Mesa, AZ – 85205
President Obama – 202-456-1111
Note that since 1971 the government has eliminated nearly half of the wild horses and burros in our country.
Please take a stand for our Salt River wild horses now!
