I felt the need to write a new blog post because I know so many of you are feeling down and defeated after TRNP’s Zoom meeting this past week.
I guess I have just one thing to say…
Chin up Buttercup!
This isn’t over!
This process is JUST BEGINNING!!!
So many of you have commented and messaged us asking “WHAT CAN WE DO?”
For starters, please share our posts! We are sharing information that is being given to us by our legal team at Eubanks & Associates as well as American Wild Horse Campaign! THEY have actually been through these processes MANY times!
Second, DON’T comment to the park that you like ANY of their “draft concepts” if you don’t want ONLY 30-70 horses left in the park!!!! Despite what you might read on other pages – WE CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH – THIS IS THE TIME TO TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT!!!! FOR STARTERS – WE WANT TO KNOW WHEN AND WHY THE HORSES ARE NOW BEING CLASSIFIED AS LIVESTOCK!!!
Third, PLEASE support our advocacy efforts! It is easy to see that we ABSOLUTELY NEED our legal team working with us through this ENTIRE process! In addition to this, they are also working on our FOIA appeal! That will also give us information that can be used during this critical management planning process.
It really is a CRUCIAL time for these horses. I am also overwhelmed with sadness as new babies are being born in the park. Do they, or ANY of the wild horses in the TRNP herd have a future or will they be culled from the park and replaced with a non-reproductive herd behind a fence? I keep hearing that Joni Mitchell song “They Paved Paradise” when I think of that option.
THESE HORSES NEED YOU TO BE THEIR VOICE NOW MORE THAN EVER!!!
This is NOT the time to continue to agree with choices given to us by the park! THIS is the time to tell them what we want considered in the new management plan. THIS is the time to stand up and speak up for the wild horses in TRNP!
I am working on my comment letter and once that has been approved by our legal team, we will be making a shortened version that you can use to guide your comments.
Please, work on staying optimistic. We know it is hard especially with such a lackluster presentation the other day. We are working with local media to help get the word out – but PLEASE contact any national media you can think of or have a contact for. This is why sharing these posts becomes even more important than ever.
We will have more on ways you can help during this process soon. You can ask questions on their horses communication portal here: https://www.nps.gov/thro/learn/nature/feral-wild-horses.htm
You can comment on the management plan here: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?projectID=105110
Thank you for your support!
Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates is committed to advocating for a wild horse management plan and protection for these unique wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home! We are fighting for a management plan that is guided by science especially when it comes to decisions regarding the removal of horses and the administration of birth control. Many other wild horse management plans have proven to be successful with their science-based plans. We are asking for the same for this amazing group of wild horses that call Theodore Roosevelt National Park home.