Submit your comments by January 9, 2023 in support of the Gila National Forest's plan to remove feral cattle from the Gila Wilderness.
Letter template from GCC and GRIP:
To: Gila National Forest
From: [Your Name], NM
The Gila National Forest estimates that there are between 50-150 feral cattle remaining in the Gila Wilderness – America's first wilderness area. The cattle have caused damage to riparian areas by overgrazing and trampling streambanks causing erosion, dramatically degrading water quality and destroying fish and wildlife habitat, including habitat for threatened and endangered species.
There have been many attempts to round up this reproducing herd over the last 40 years and it will take a concerted effort to solve this problem once and for all. Lethal methods are legal and necessary to successfully remove feral cattle from the remote and rugged wilderness in the most humane way for the cattle and safest manner for contractors.
Submit your comments in support of removing feral cattle by January 9 by signing onto the letter below. You may also add your own personal comments in the box to the right.
From: [Your Name]
I support the Gila National Forest's efforts to remove feral cattle from the Gila Wilderness using lethal methods. It is critical that we stop significant natural resource damage by feral cattle in order to protect riparian ecosystems, water quality, and threatened and endangered species.
Lethal means for removal are the most humane methods to use, given the rugged terrain and injury and stress to animals that can be caused by alternatives such as rounding cattle up. They are also the safest for the contractors tasked with the cattle removal.
Thank you for your hard work and effort to remove these cattle as safely and expeditiously as possible.