WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management announced today selections for three open positions on its nine-member National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. Ms. Celeste Carlisle of Esparto, California, has been appointed to the category of wild horse and burro advocacy; Dr. Thomas Lenz of Louisburg, Kansas, has been appointed for the category of veterinary medicine; and Dr. Barry Perryman of Reno, Nevada, has been appointed for the category of public interest with a special knowledge about protection of wild horses and burros, management of wildlife, animal husbandry or natural resource management. Each individual will serve a three-year term on the advisory board.

Ms. Carlisle is a passionate collaborator with 10 years of field biology and equine management experience, most notably serving as the Biologist and Science Program Manager for Return to Freedom, a private sanctuary for wild horses and burros in California. Working collaboratively with various stakeholders, Ms. Carlisle played a pivotal role in the creation of a detailed proposal for wild horse and burro management that was presented to the BLM and the U.S. Congress in 2017. She and other wild horse advocates also participated in a meeting with Interior Secretary Zinke to discuss the goals and objectives for sustainable management of wild horses and burros. Ms. Carlisle earned a B.S. in equine animal science from Oregon State University and a B.A. in biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Dr. Lenz, an equine practitioner for more than 40 years, is a leading mind in the field of equine science, specifically equine reproduction and equine welfare. Beyond his vast veterinary qualifications, Dr. Lenz is also the founding chair of the Unwanted Horse Coalition – a broad alliance of equine organizations under the American Horse Council that works to educate the horse industry about unwanted horses. In addition to a veterinary medical degree, Dr. Lenz earned a M.S. in equine reproduction and is board-certified in theriogenology (equine reproduction). His practical approach to understanding abandoned or otherwise unwanted horses, equine reproduction and animal welfare will be an asset to the advisory board.

Dr. Perryman has been a passionate, thoughtful and well-received writer and advocate for the responsible stewardship of Western public lands for more than two decades. As an educator, Dr. Perryman works collaboratively with various stakeholders to teach best management practices and encourage conservation and the responsible use of our public lands. Dr. Perryman has served on several appointed councils, organized and facilitated meetings populated by a diverse spectrum of public interests, and continuously served as a wild horse and burro expert source for national print and broadcast media outlets. Dr. Perryman earned a Ph.D. and a M.S. in Rangeland Ecology and Management from the University of Wyoming and teaches Rangeland Ecology and Management at the University of Nevada-Reno. He earned a B.S. in Agronomy from Abilene Christian University.

The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board advises the BLM, an agency of the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture, on the management and protection of wild free-roaming horses and burros on public lands and national forests administered by those agencies, as directed by the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. Members of the Board, who represent various categories of interests, must have a demonstrated ability to analyze information, evaluate programs, identify problems, work collaboratively and develop corrective actions. More information about the Advisory Board can be found at BLM.gov/WHB.

The next meeting of the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board is scheduled for October 9-11, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The meeting will be live-streamed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Wednesday and Thursday, at http://www.blm.gov/live. The agenda of the upcoming meeting can be found in the September 5, 2018, Federal Register at https://go.usa.gov/xPcdQ.