Protecting Wildness: The Vision for America’s Wild Horses & Burros

Freedom andHumane Managementon Our WesternPublic Lands

On December 17, 1971, then-President Richard M. Nixon signed into law the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which was passed unanimously by Congress. The president’s signing statement declared,“Wild horses and burros merit man's protection historically--for they are a living link with the days of the conquistadors, through the heroic times of the Western Indians and the pioneers, to our own day when the tonic of wildness seems all too scarce. More than that, they merit it as a matter of ecological right--as anyone knows who has ever stood awed at the indomitable spirit and sheer energy of a mustang running free.”

It was a sweeping statement, one that rightly captured the awe that Americans felt at the knowledge that, in a rapidly developing world, there was still a place in America where the wild horse ran free.

Nearly 50 years later, when so much more that is wild has been lost, Americans still treasure and value the wild horse -- as iconic symbols that reflect the character of our nation -- freedom, family, survival, and the fearless, untamed spirit that makes America great.

But despite broad public support, America’s wild horses and burros are struggling to survive, as they compete with industrial development and exploitation of thepublic landsthey call home. The very future of the wild horse -- and America’s uniquepublic landslegacy -- are at stake.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Habitat for America’s wild horses and burros today comprises just 12 percent ofpublic landsmanaged by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and conflicts between wild horses and extractive industries like commercial livestock grazing can be resolved with will, creative solutions, respectful dialogue, and unyieldingadvocacyto ensure that the will of the American people to protect these national icons is upheld.

The American Wild Horse Conservation (formerly American Wild Horse Campaign) is providing leadership to achieve a new era ofhumane management, freedom, and security for America’s wild horses and burros on our Westernpublic lands. Our solutions-based advocacy looks for creative ways to resolve conflicts and create positive change necessary to protect America’s wild horses and burros for future generations to enjoy.

Our Focus Areas

• Litigation
• Legislation
• Advocacy
• In the Wild Solutions

Please join us in the fight to protect and preserve America's wild horses on our Westernpublic lands. Their future depends on us.

Additional Reading

Read the New York Times op-ed by AWHC Board President, Ellie Price