APPENDIX K 

WILD HORSE AND BURRO 

STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES 

United States Department of the Interior 

Bureau of Land Management 

Winnemucca Field Office 

5 100 East Winnemucca Boulevard 

Winnemucca, Nevada 89445-292 1 

http://www.nv.bIm.~ov/Winnemuccaf 


775-623-1500or wi-bweb@nv.blm.gov 

In Reply Refer To: 

4700 (NV-020, NV-030) 

+ 

- -

Memorandum 

To: 

From: 

Subject: 

State Director, Nevada 

Gail Givens and Don Hicks 

Field Manager, Winnemucca and Carson City 

Recommendation to Approve Wild Horse and Burro Standards and Guidelines 

Developed by the Sierra Front-Northwest Great Basin Resource Advisory Council 

The Sierra Front-Northwest Great Basin Resource Advisory Council has revised its proposed 

standards and guidelines in cooperation with BLM to assure conformance with the Carson City 

Field Ofice Consolidated Resource Management Pkan (signed on May 11,2001) as well as the 

Sonoma-Gerlach and Paradise-Denio Management Framework Plans (both signed on October 

6, 1982) and the Resource Management Plan for the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon 

Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area and Associated Wilderness, and other Contiguous 

Lands in Nevada (signed July 15,2004), as outlined by 43 CFR 161 0.5 and BLM Manual 

Section 1617.3 and as requested by Deputy State Director Meg Jensen on September 25,2005. 

The revised standards and guidelines (copy attached) developed for wild horses and burros by 

the Sierra Front-Northwest Great Basin Resource Advisory Council are technically adequate and 

are consistent and in conformance with the applicable land use plans. The standards and 

guidelines are also in conformance with the applicable laws, regulations and policies, and are in 

compliance with NEPA. 

Based on the above, we recommend they be approved. 

Attachment 

The Standards and Gu&linesfor Wild Horses and Burros developed by the Sierra FrontNorthwest Great Basin Resource Advisory Council are hereby approved 

&puf J? 2W7 

State Director, Nevada Date / 
Standards and Guidelines for 

Management of Wild Horses and Burros 

of the Sierra Front-Northwest Great 

Basin Area 

Preamble 

It is a policy of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish Standards and Guidelines to 

aid in management of public land resources. The following Standards and Guidelines are 

developed by the Resource Advisory Council (RAC) to guide management of wild horses and 

burros found on the public lands within the Sierra Front-Northwest Great Basin Area. These 

Standards and Guidelines are in effect upon approval by the BLM. The Standards outlined 

below state the goals to be achieved and the Guidelines provide the methods for attaining the 

Standards. 

The RAC expects the Wild Horse and Burro Guidelines included in this document will be 

incorporated into the 1982 Sonoma-Gerlach and Paradise-Denio Management Framework 

Plans, the Winnemucca Field Office administered portions of the 2004 Resource Management 

Plan for Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area and 

Associated Wilderness, and Other Contiguous Lands in Nevada, and the 2001 Carson City 

Field Office Consolidated Resource Management Plan developed by Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) Carson City and Winnemucca Field Offices, Nevada. These areas include 

the Sierra Nevada, Malheur High Plateau, Humboldt, Fallon-Lovelock, and Carson Basin major 

land resource areas as defined by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. 

Management of wild horses and burros under the Standards and Guidelines outlined below is to 

be consistent with the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, the Federal Land 

Policy Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, and the Public Rangeland Improvement Act (PRIA) 

of 1978, and any subsequent amendments. 

Standards and Guidelines for attaining rangeland health by livestock are currently in effect for 

the Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin area and the necessary management actions are 

being implemented. It is recognized that wild horse and burro habitat needs are very similar to 

those of livestock. Therefore meeting the livestock needs will also provide healthy wild horse 

and burro habitat. However, long term maintenance of wild horses and burros is also 

dependent on achieving reproductively viable herds. Consequently, a new Standard No. 6 is 

being added to assure the health of individual animals and the maintenance of reproductively 

viable herds. 

Background 

Wild horse and burro management practices based on the following Standards and Guidelines will 

consider both the economic and physical environment and will be consistent with other multiple 

uses including but not limited to: recreation, minerals, cultural values, wildlife, domestic livestock, 

areas of critical environmental concern (ACEC's), designated wilderness and wilderness study 

areas (WSA's), and land acquisition and disposition activities. 
With approval of these Standards for wild horses and burros maintaining animal health and 

population viability will focus primarily on controlling population size and herd composition within 

the Appropriate Management Level (AML) of the Herd Management Areas (HMA) as established in 

Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin planning decisions. The Guidelines outlined below are 

designed to achieve the existing Rangeland Health Standards for the Sierra Front-Northwestern 

Great Basin as well as the proposed Wild horse and Burro Standards. 

Existing Rangeland Health Standards for Wild Horse and Burro 

Management: 

The five (5)Standards outlined below are included in the approved Standards and Guidelines for 

Rangeland Health in the Nevada's Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin Area and are 

adopted as Standards for wild horses and burros. 

STANDARD 1. SOILS: 

Soil processes will be appropriate to soil types, climate and land form. As indicated by: 

Surface litter is appropriate to the potential for the site; 

Soil crusting formations in shrub interspaces, and soil compaction are minimal or not in 

evidence allowing for appropriate infiltration of water; 

Hydrologic cycle, nutrient cycle, and energy flow are adequate for the vegetative communities; 

Plant communities are diverse and vigorous, and there is evidence of recruitment; and 

Basal and canopy cover (vegetative) is appropriate for the site's potential. 

STANDARD 2. RIPARIANNVETLANDS: 

Riparianwetlands systems are in properly functioning condition. As indicated by: 

Sinuosity, widthldepth ration, and gradient are adequate to dissipate stream flow without 

excessive erosion or deposition; 

Riparian vegetation is adequate to dissipate high flow energy and protect banks from excessive 

erosion; and 

Plant species diversity is appropriate for riparian-wetlandsystems. 

STANDARD 3. WATER QUALITY: 

Water quality criteria in Nevada State Law shall be achieved or maintained. As indicated by: 

Chemical constituents do not exceed the water quality Standards; 

Physical constituents do not exceed the water quality Standards; 

Biological constituents do not exceed the water quality Standards; and 

The water quality of all water bodies, including ground water located on or influenced by BLM 

lands will meet or exceed the applicable Nevada water quality Standards. Water quality 

Standards for surface and ground waters include the designated beneficial uses, numeric 

criteria, narrative criteria, and anti-degradation requirements set forth under State law, and as 

found in the Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act. 

STANDARD 4. PLANT AND ANIMAL HABITAT: 

Populations and communities of native plant species and habitats for native animal species are 

healthy, productive and diverse. As indicated by: 
Good representation of life forms and numbers of species; 

Good diversity of height, size, and distribution of plants; 

Number of wood stalks, seed stalks, and seed production adequate for stand maintenance; 

and 

Vegetative mosaic, vegetative corridors for wildlife, and minimal habitat fragmentation. 

STANDARD 5. SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES HABITAT: 

Habitat conditions meet the life cycle requirement of special status species. As indicated by: 

Habitat areas are large enough to support viable populations of special status species; 

Special status plant and animal numbers and ages appear to ensure stable populations; 

Good diversity of height, size, and distribution of plants; 

Number of wood stalks, seed stalks, and seed production adequate for stand maintenance; 

and 

Vegetative mosaic, vegetative corridors for wildlife, and minimal habitat fragmentation. 

STANDARD 6. SELF-SUSTAINING POPULATIONS OF HEALTHY WlLD HORSES AND 

BURROS: 

Wild horse and burro populations are healthy and self-sustaining (reproductively viable). As 

indicated by: 

Herd size, age structure, and sex ratios appropriatefor maintaining reproductively viable herds. 

Herds display no significant deleterious genetic conditions. 

Herd Management Areas provide adequate food, water, and living space for long term 

maintenance of healthy wild horses and burros. 

Adult animals have sufficient Henneke body condition class to withstand short term (3-4 

months) forage loss due to adverse winter conditions or other habitat destruction. 

GUIDELINES FOR WlLD HORSES AND BURROS: 

It is the BLM's policy to manage wild horses and burros in a manner which will achieve self 

sustaining populations of healthy animals, in a thriving natural ecological balance, in a sustainable 

multiple use relationship with other public land uses. The following Guidelines are intended to be 

consistent with this BLM policy and to meet the Standards for the Sierra Front-NorthwesternGreat 

Basin area. 

1. To maintain their free-roaming nature, fencing and management activities within HMA's will 

be at the minimum feasible level needed to meet the Standards outlined above. 

2. Set AML upper and lower levels so that population adjustments are employed as 

infrequently as practical to meet objectives of resource plans and applicable Standards, 

and to promote efficient management. 

3. Set wild horse and burro AML's at a level that allows maintenance of Rangeland Health 

Standards. When monitoring indicates these Standards are not being met, excess animals 

should be removed, AML's adjusted or other appropriate management actions taken. 

4. Set AML's at a level that will allow forage plants to complete their life cycle and maintain 

healthy habitat. Utilization of forage species, which are primarily grasses, should be 

maintained at a level that will allow these plants to produce seed and new plants to reach 
maturity. Monitoring should be conducted to determine the amount of utilization and 

associated resource impacts attributable to each forage user. Adjustments in 

management of the causal species should be made in proportion to their impacts. 

5. 	 Adjust population levels when (1) resource evaluation indicates that excess wild horse 

and/or burros are a significant cause for failure to meet habitat Standards; or (2) where an 

adjustment is needed to meet Standards for protecting the health of the herd or individual 

animals. Under these circumstances, excess animals should be removed before the next 

growing season. 

6. 	 When monitoring shows unsustainable damage to Special Status Species or their habitat, 

the access of wild horses and burros should be limited or the animals should be removed. 

7. 	 Remove wild horses and burros as needed to allow plant species to be re-established 

following fire or other significant damage. Reintroduction should not occur until monitoring 

shows that forage plants can withstand grazing. 

8. 	 Motor vehicle racing, air racing, or other intrusive activities which could result in 

harassment of wild horses and burros will not be permitted in Herd Management Areas 

unless impacts are determined to be minimal. 

9. 	 Wild horses and burros removed for short periods should be returned to their herd area 

whenever feasible. 

10. Maintain reproductively viable wild horse and burro populations by setting herd size, age 

structure, and sex ratios that are consistent with management of healthy, self-sustaining 

populations. 

11. Procedures for maintaining a reproductively viable population may include periodic animal 

removals, reduction of reproduction through contraception, adjustment of age structure, 

introduction of animals from other herds, and modification of sex ratios. 

12. Protect wild horses and burros from deleterious genetic changes by maintaining sufficient 

number of breeding animals in each herd. Animals with obvious genetic problems should 

be removed from the herd. 

13. Consider the adoptability of wild horses and burros in managing the herds. 	 However, 

adoptability should not be a primary reason for modifying the characteristics of wild horse 

and burro populations or for determining which animals are to be removed. 

14.All wild horses and burros found living year around outside of HMA should be removed. 

15. Remove all wild horses and burros when the herd is not viable or there is insufficient water 

or habitat. 

Implementation 

Following adoption of the Standards and Guidelines for Wild Horses and Burros, subsequent 

planning decisions and management actions must be consistent with the Standards and 

Guidelines. Standards and Guidelines for Wild Horses and Burros as outlined above will be 

implemented through a multi-step process involving: 
1. 	 Development of herd management area plans and establishment of long-term 

objectives for managing wild horses and burros and their habitat; initiation of the 

necessary management actions; monitoring to assess progress toward achievement of 

plan objectives; periodic adjustments of population levels to maintain AMLs; and 

periodic evaluation of management actions to assure they are being implemented and 

effective in achieving plan objectives. 

2. 	 Herd management area plans (HMAPs)-will be the vehicle for determining the 

management and objectives for the herds and their habitat. Assessments of wild horse 

and burro herds and individual animals will occur through periodic censuses of the 

animals as well as notation of the condition, age, and sex of animals that have been 

captured. Monitoring and evaluation of habitat will be conducted largely through the 

livestock management monitoring and evaluation process with supplemental monitoring 

when needed for specific habitat requirements unique to wild horses and burros. 

3. 	When evaluation of resource monitoring data indicates that failure to meet Standards is 

being caused by excess wild horses and burros, short term adjustments in population 

levels, changes in AML's, or other appropriate management actions should be taken. 

4. 	Guidelines may be revised, as needed, based upon new data, research, case law or 

other factors.