The Progressive Rancher Magazine

I
’m sure that most of you have heard about Secretary
of Interior Salazar’ s proposal addressing
the current wild horse and burro problem and providing
better management of our western rangelands on which
these horses presently roam.
Secretary Salzar recognizes that these wild horses, with
no natural predators, need to be better managed; not only
for their own health and welfare, but for that of the land. He
recognizes that our western rangelands can no longer continue
to withstand the increased pressure being placed upon
it by the ever-increasing wild horse and burro population. He
understands and agrees with the concerns of the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) over the steadily rising costs of
today’s wild horse program and the increased burden being
placed upon the American taxpayer. He knows that, with
these ever expanding herd numbers and increased holding
and management costs’ there is currently no light at the end
of the tunnel.
To respond to these challenges, Secretary Salzar is thinking
out side of the box. He’s searching for better solutions. He
is looking at new approaches to the problem. Approaches that
he says “will require bold efforts on the part of the Administration
and Congress.” But they are approaches that I think
are realistic and well worth pursuing.
As part of his new plan, Secretary Salzar proposes to
establish new wild horse preserves across the Nation, particularly
on the productive grassland of the Midwest and in the
East. He recognizes that our western rangelands, with their
susceptibility to the extremes of draught & wildfire can not
continue to be relied upon to carry the brunt of the ever increasing
wild horse and burro numbers. He goes on to say that
these new Eastern & Midwestern preserves would be located
on lands acquired by the BLM or in partnership with various
wild horse advocate groups. These “non-producing” herds
of wild horses could be showcased to the American public
and serve as natural assets to support tourism and enhance
economic viability.
I applaud Secretary Salzar’s strong grasp of the problem
and his bold and far-sited solution of “sharing” these wild
horses with out Midwestern and Eastern neighbors. For in my
mind, they are Icons of our “Eastern” heritage.
Think about it.
When the settlers migrated westward and crossed the
great salt flats of what is now Utah, they followed the Humboldt
River west along what became known as the California
trail. And, they came close to starving to death for lack of
wild game. If you are a western history buff as I am, and have
researched the journals of our pioneering forefathers you will
know that nowhere do they mention vast herds of deer, elk or
antelope roaming the arid deserts and rangelands of what is
now Nevada. Nowhere do they write of siting nomadic Indian
tribes mounted on colorful ponies, driving large horse herds
along with them. But they did mention aboriginal poverty
and starvation.
Why no mention of “wild horse herds?” Logic says they
didn’t exist at that time. Before settlement, there were no
herds of wild horses or even large populations of wild game
for that matter.
So let’s think about this for a moment. If there were no
wild horse herds roaming our rangelands, when our forefathers
migrated westward settling this arid land of which few
people wanted: Where did they come from?
Perhaps they were settler escapees pioneering out on
their own. Or maybe they were castaways of the gypsy cattle
and sheep men that flooded our rangelands with livestock in
the early 1900’s and then went out of business. Or, could they
have been prospector’s burros, released or abandoned? Maybe
they were the product of the releasing of seed stock by the
bono fide ranchers that settled our western rangelands.
A combination of all of the above, I would think. And, if
so: Then in reality the wild horses and burros of today actually
came from the “East.”
So, what can be more fitting than what Secretary Salzar’s
now proposes: The returning of our wild horses back to their
place of origin where they can as he states: “create a lasting
conservation legacy for these iconic animals.” The Wild
Horse, a product of eastern settlement and westward migration,
is indeed an “Icon of the East.”
Think about it!
And that’s got me thinking even further. If the wild
horse, being decedents of Easterners migration westward, is
a symbolic icon of the East, then what is the symbolic icon
of the West?
Could it be that the actual “Icons of the West” are the
decedents of the pioneers that had the foresight, grit and
fortitude to lay claim to these vast & arid western rangelands
of which so few wanted to settle? Perhaps the true symbolic
icons of the West are the current care takers of our rangelands,
both private & public . . . . . the Western Rancher.
Think about it!
On another note: By the time this goes to print the 74th
annual Nevada Cattlemen’s Association convention will be
history and I will have passed the gavel to your new President:
Ron Cerri.
Ron and his wife Denise operate a family ranch near
Orvada. Ron and his family have been active members of the
Nevada Cattlemen’s Association for numerous years. Ron has
worked his way up through the officer ranks. He has Chaired
the Livestock Issues Committee, sits on the N1 Grazing
Board and is an active member of the Public Lands Council.
Ron has worked closely with me these past two years and is
up to speed on all the issues at hand. I expect a very smooth
and seamless transition. I believe he will make an excellent
President.
So, please join me in welcoming Ron as our new President.
Let’s offer him all our support.
And to my fellow Cattlemen, I would like to use the rest
of the space in this, my last commentary as NCA president, to
thank you for the opportunity you have given me to represent
you and to act as your spokesmen. Your trust, I have not taken
lightly. I know I have been vocal at times and I have ruffled a
few feathers. But I believe that everything I did and said was
in the best interest of our association and our industry.
With that, I say . . . . . . . . Thanks (And Such.)
UPDATE
Da n
Gr a l i a n
See President Ron Cerri’s Update on Page 3
Nevada
Cattlemen’s
Association
President
www.progressiverancher.com
The Progressive Rancher December 2009 3