July 19, 2005 – The USFS fails to manage the Heber Wild Horse Territory as mandated by law, fails to provide a management plan for the wild horses and the Territory, fails to keep accurate counts of wild horses in and associated with the Heber Wild Horse Territory and Apache Sitgreaves National Forests for years prior to July 19, 2005. Yet the USFS issues solicitation for bids to have unbranded, unclaimed free-roaming wild horses in Apache Sitgreaves National Forests removed as what they call “trespass horses” and hauled to Holbrook auction house on July 19, 2005. Solicitation is done without required compliance of a full study of the impact on the environment as required by law under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). In addition, the USFS has never done a NEPA or the required development of a management plan for wild horses in Apache Sitgreaves National Forests and for the almost 20,000 acre Heber Wild Horse Territory set aside for the wild horses by Congress as a sanctuary. The USFS provides no evidence of any investigation of any kind to support the “trespass horse” assertion. However, historical documents and affidavits of residents together with photographs provided by residents to attorneys for the horses demonstrate a continuous presence of the ASNF wild horses generations before the Rodeo Chediski fire.
These photos were taken in 2005. The Heber wild horses in this area move on and off the designated Heber Wild Horse Territory.
These photos were taken in 2005. The Heber wild horses in this area move on and off the designated Heber Wild Horse Territory.
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