The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Resource Advisory Committee is meeting on September 18th  and on the agenda is the future of the Carter Reservoir wild horses.

This is your chance to stand up for one of the most unique and historic herds in the West.

 What: BLM Resource Advisory Committee Meeting (Public Comment Opportunity)
  Where: Virtual (registration required)
  When: September 18th 8-2 pm pst (11 am public comment period)

 [Register to Comment Now] 

The Carter Reservoir herd roams across 23,468 acres in Washoe County, NV, and Modoc County, CA. Yet the BLM has set an unscientifically low “Appropriate Management Level” of just 25–35 horses. At that number, this herd cannot survive long-term — it risks eventual genetic collapse and extinction.

These horses are thought to carry historic Spanish bloodlines and often display primitive markings such as dorsal stripes and leg barring — a living link to America’s past.

Instead of managing these horses to the brink of extinction, California and Nevada must safeguard the Carter Reservoir herd and ensure it has the chance to thrive for generations to come.

Your voice is critical to ensure these horses remain part of our Western heritage.

Talking Points for Your Virtual Comment

Use these points to guide your 2–3 minute statement. Personalize them where possible.

1. Introduce Yourself

• State your name, city, and why protecting wild horses matters to you.
  
  
• Mention if you have visited Carter Reservoir or Nevada/California public lands.
  

2. Emphasize the Herd’s Significance

• The Carter Reservoir horses live on 23,468 acres of public land across Nevada and California.
  
  
• They may carry historic Spanish bloodlines and show primitive markings that connect them to America’s earliest horses.
  

3. Highlight the Problem with AMLs

• The BLM’s current Appropriate Management Level of 25–35 horses is far below what science supports for genetic viability.
  
  
• Such low numbers would lead to inbreeding, loss of genetic diversity, and eventual extinction.
  

4. Call for Protection, Not Eradication

• California and Nevada should be leaders in protecting wild horses, not complicit in reducing them to unsustainable numbers.
  
  
• The public values these animals as part of our heritage, culture, and ecosystems.
  
  

5. Clear Ask

• Urge the BLM to reassess the AML for Carter Reservoir to reflect a viable population
  
  
• Request that roundups be halted and instead the agency should invest in a humane, science-based management plan that includes in-the-wild management like humane PZP fertility control.

Tip: Keep your remarks respectful but firm, and speak from both facts and values. Remind the committee that the Carter Reservoir herd deserves a future not extinction.