The surprising ways wild horses shape the land

The following is from the American Wild Horse Conservation:

As we continue our Earth Month celebrations, today, we want to highlight how wild horses and burros play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting the biodiversity that keeps our planet in balance!

Photo by Tandin Chapman

Here are just a few of the ways they make a difference: 

Vegetation Management
Through their natural grazing behavior, wild horses help manage plant overgrowth, keeping grasslands healthy and balanced. Unlike livestock, they can consume dry, low-nutrient vegetation, such as cheatgrass, that could otherwise act as dangerous fuel for wildfires.

Supporting Soil Health
As they travel across the terrain, wild horses help aerate the soil, which promotes plant growth and nutrient cycling. By digesting and breaking down slow-decomposing plant matter, they also encourage carbon storage in the soil—making them an important ally in combating climate change!

Water Resource Impact
In dry environments, wild burros have been shown to increase water availability. They often uncover underground water sources that become critical for other wildlife as well, boosting the ecosystem’s resilience in the face of drought and desertification.

Promoting Biodiversity
By opening up dense landscapes and preserving water access, wild horses and burros help create and maintain habitats for other species. Their role in the restoration of ecosystems with large herbivores is gaining recognition as a key part of global conservation efforts.

Wild horses are more than just a symbol of the West—they’re active participants in the stewardship of its environment. In honor of Earth month, we hope you’ll join us in raising awareness about the ecological benefits of keeping these majestic animals wild and free.

Please share this email with your friends and family to spread the word about all the great ways our wild herds are helping to protect our planet!

Thank you,

Team AWHC