Cheiron: Vol. 2/Issue 2 (2022)
CHEIRON: THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EQUINE AND EQUESTRIAN HISTORY
ISSN 2786-3182
Editors-in-Chief: Anastasija Ropa, Miriam A. Bibby
Report by Craig C. Downer
Vol. 2 (Issue 2/2022)
Pages 1-131
DOI: 10.22618/TP.Cheiron.20222.2
You can read this issue in open access
FONT MATTER
EDITORIAL NOTE
NEWS SECTION - Short note. Rewilding with Horses in Latvia
ARTICLES
Heber Wild Horses of Arizona’s Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests with 40 Ecological Transect Results and Herd Description
Craig C. Downer
Abstract: The wild horses of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (ASNF) and their legal habitat located in the Mogollon Rim region of eastern Arizona were the focus of the present investigation (see Fig.-s 4 and 5). Major logging of ponderosa pines, major cattle grazing and major trophy elk, deer and other game hunting seem to be the principal management goals of the Black Mountain Ranger District (BMRD) and the entire ASNF, while wild horse conservation is given minor priority. Given high disturbances from the major factors, it is surprising that the ecosystem we examined is functioning as well as our transects indicate. The impacts of vehicles and roads, fences to accommodate the intensive trampling and grazing by cattle, as well as frequent vehicle entries – all combine to disrupt this ecosystem. I propose that the wild horses themselves are major mitigators of ASNF’s ecosystem-disturbing impacts and contribute very positively to maintaining its integrity. Given the major attention this herd and its habitat have received and the moderate growth it has demonstrated over several decades, the Secretary of Agriculture should seriously consider declaring this herd to be a Study Herd under Section 10 of the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFHBA).
Wild Equine History: A Response to the Heber Wild Horse Report
Christine Reed
NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS
This special issue of Cheiron holds the report by Craig C. Downer on the wild horses of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (ASNF) and their legal habitat located in the Mogollon Rim region of eastern Arizona. Major logging of ponderosa pines, major cattle grazing and major trophy elk, deer and other game hunting seem to be the principal management goals of the Black Mountain Ranger District (BMRD) and the entire ASNF, while wild horse conservation is given minor priority. Given high disturbances from the major factors, it is surprising that the ecosystem examined is functioning as well as the transects indicate. The impacts of vehicles and roads, fences to accommodate the intensive trampling and grazing by cattle, as well as frequent vehicle entries – all combine to disrupt this ecosystem. The author proposes that the wild horses themselves are major mitigators of ASNF’s ecosystem-disturbing impacts and contribute very positively to maintaining its integrity. Given the major attention this herd and its habitat have received and the moderate growth it has demonstrated over several decades, the Secretary of Agriculture should seriously consider declaring this herd to be a Study Herd under Section 10 of the Wild Free-roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFHBA).
The report is complemented by a response by Prof. Christine Reed.
You might also like
Clients say
I am most pleased to recommend Trivent publishing to anyone who is at the “publish a book” stage of life. The team is professional, outstanding, supportive, they are intelligent editors who will direct, not coddle, an author on his/her journey to publication.
I have been working with the Philosophical Journal of Conflict and Violence since its debut in 2017. It has been a pleasant experience to see how the papers take shape in the process from submission to peer review to publication. The editor-in-chief together with the Trivent team do a tremendous job and are always seeking quality above all!
I’ve participated in two conferences organized by Trivent in the last few years and both were a nice experience – went smoothly and had decent talks in good spirit. When it came to managing manuscripts, I was surprised by the professionalism by which they helped my text get published. I definitely enjoyed working with them!