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Horse and Burro Management at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge

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Horse and Burro Management at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Horse and Burro Management at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge Environmental Assessment Before Horse Gather, August 2004 September 2002 After Horse Gather, August 2005 Front Cover: The left two photographs were taken one year apart at the same site, Big Spring Creek on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. The first photograph was taken in August 2004 at the time of a large horse gather on Big Spring Butte which resulted in the removal of 293 horses. These horses were placed in homes through adoption. The photograph shows the extensive damage to vegetation along the ripar- ian area caused by horses. The second photo was taken one-year later (August 2005) at the same posi- tion and angle, and shows the response of vegetation from reduced grazing pressure of horses. Woody vegetation and other responses of the ecosystem will take many years for restoration from the damage. An additional photograph on the right of the page was taken in September 2002 at Big Spring Creek. The tall vegetation was protected from grazing by the cage on the left side of the photograph. Stubble height of vegetation outside the cage was 4 cm, and 35 cm inside the cage (nearly 10 times the height). The intensity of horse grazing pressure was high until the gather in late 2004. Additional photo com- parisons are available from other riparian sites. Photo credit: FWS, David N. Johnson Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revised, final Environmental Assessment for Horse and Burro Management at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge April 2008 Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lake County, Oregon 1 Proposed Action: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to continue, on an interim and more-limited basis, its ongoing, operational program of gathering, removing, and adopting out feral horses and burros from Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Denio, Nevada. Type of Statement: Environmental Assessment (EA). Lead Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). Cooperating Agencies: U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Nevada Department of Wildlife. For Further Information: Paul Steblein, Project Leader Sheldon–Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex Post Office Box 111 Lakeview, Oregon 97630 Email: [email protected] Abstract: The Service has developed a revised EA for interim Horse and Burro Population Management at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge (Sheldon Refuge or Refuge) until completion of the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for the Refuge. The EA evaluates alternatives for the conservation and management of horses and burros on the Sheldon Refuge. Sheldon Refuge encompasses 575,000 acres in the northwestern corner of Nevada. Applicable laws, regulations, and policies guiding administration of national wildlife refuges directs the Service to give priority management attention to achieving refuge purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). Purposes of Sheldon Refuge were prescribed in Executive Order No. 5540, Executive Order No. 7178, and Public Law 94-223, signed in 1976. Objectives for Sheldon Refuge’s interim horse and burro management program include: preventing an increase in damage to valuable and sensitive Refuge habitats, including riparian areas and areas which have experienced recent wildfires; preventing an increase in collisions with vehicles on Highway 140; and conducting gathers and adoptions in a humane manner. The purpose of this EA is to describe and evaluate a range of reasonable alternatives for a scientifically-grounded, interim horse and burro population management program that would help achieve Sheldon Refuge’s purpose of conserving the pronghorn antelope and other native fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem. The Service has identified and evaluated five alternatives, including a No Action Alternative (Alternative A), for managing the horse and burro program until completion of the CCP for Sheldon Refuge. The Alternatives are as follows: • Alternative A (No Action): The Refuge would discontinue the ongoing program of horse and burro population management. Under this alternative, there would not be any horse and burro gathers, care or management efforts, or adoption program. 2 Horse and burro populations would be allowed to continue to grow, checked only by disease, predation, weather, forage, other natural forces, and vehicle collisions. • Alternative B-1: Status Quo (Ongoing Program Management). Under this alternative, current standard procedures would continue for managing horses and burros to bring their numbers into line with official Refuge program objectives. Refuge objectives established in 1977 and 1980 are to maintain populations of 75-125 horses and 30-60 burros. Current estimated numbers of horses (at least 800; see section 3.4, Feral Horses and Burros) and burros (approximately 90) on the Refuge exceed the population objectives and are causing environmental damage (See section 3.2, Biological Environment). Therefore, the Service would attempt to remove as many horses and burros, as quickly as possible (several hundred per year) to bring numbers in line with objectives. Horses and burros would be gathered using helicopter/horseback riders, horseback riders alone, and baited traps (corrals). All animals would be processed with expert staff and a veterinarian. Horses and burros would be placed in good homes through adoption agents. Standard practices would be followed for transporting animals, and monitoring population levels and ecosystem response. Contraception and marking techniques would be reviewed and used if appropriate. Other related and ongoing management actions include: continued building, replacement, repair, and maintenance of exterior (boundary) fences and gates; continued improvements to the central corral system and associated water delivery system; continued exploration of techniques for marking captured animals; and continued evaluation and improvements to the Refuge’s inventory and monitoring programs. • Alternative B-2: Modified Status Quo – Proposed Action (Ongoing Program Management on an Interim and More-Limited Basis). Under this alternative, most current standard procedures for managing horses and burros would continue, but on a more- limited basis, until completion of the Refuge CCP (currently scheduled for 2010). Estimated numbers of horses and burros currently on the Refuge are at least 800 and approximately 90, respectively. On an annual basis, the Service would gather and adopt out a limited number of horses and burros, approximately equal to the annual increase in the Refuge’s populations. This would result in maintenance of relatively stable populations. Based on current population estimates, the annual removal would roughly equal 140-180 horses and 15-20 burros. Horse gathers would occur through use of helicopters assisted by horseback wranglers and through use of horseback wranglers alone. Burros would be gathered through use of baited traps (corrals). Gathers would target removal and either adoption or relocation of animals away from Refuge areas of greatest concern. Examples include areas near Highway 140, areas with degraded riparian habitats, and areas which had experienced recent wildfires. The next gather would occur in the fall of 2007 and/or winter of 2008. All animals would be processed with expert staff and a veterinarian. Horses and burros would be placed in good homes through adoption agents. Standard practices would be followed for transporting animals, and monitoring population levels and ecosystem response. Over the next several 3 years, a range of contraceptive techniques would be tested for feasibility and efficacy. Treated animals would be returned to the Refuge. Contraception would target those horses and burros which were unlikely to be adopted (i.e., because they were too old or had physical disabilities, or because the adoption market was flooded with animals). Contraception would also be used to assist in maintaining stable populations. Other related and ongoing management actions include: continued building, replacement, repair, and maintenance of exterior (boundary) fences and gates; continued improvements to the central corral system and associated water delivery system; continued exploration of techniques for marking captured animals; and continued evaluation and improvements to the Refuge’s inventory and monitoring programs. • Alternative C: Adoption Directly from Refuge. Under this alternative, Refuge staff would facilitate horse care and adoptions instead of the current practice of contracting the service through adoption agents. Refuge objectives and all other aspects of the horse and burro management program would be the same as Alternative B-1 or B-2. • Alternative D: Conduct Horse Gathers by Horseback Techniques Only. Under this alternative, horses and burros would be gathered solely through the use of horseback riders. Helicopters would not be used. Burros would still be gathered with baited traps (corrals). Refuge objectives and all other aspects of the horse and burro management program would be the same as Alternative B-1 or B-2. Alternative development and evaluation was based on internal and external scoping of issues, and comments received on earlier versions of this EA. There was a 37-day public comment period on the draft EA (30 day review plus 7 day extension), including a public comment meeting in Lakeview, Oregon on May 9, 2007. Modifications to the draft Environmental Assessment Based on comments
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