Sacramento State University students spent some time in the Siskiyou Mountains studying a herd of wild horses that they say could help reduce wildfires.
It’s through an internship program in partnership with the nonprofit Wild Horse Fire Brigade that researches and manages a herd that is believed to be able to help reduce wildfire damages when they feed on grass.
The students lived in a trailer home for two weeks studying the horses and their effects on the environment. They say they’re interested in continuing these studies to see what key roles the horses could play in fire season.
Shelby Konarski, a CSU Sacramento student, is part of the program and said, “I’m really excited to learn more about naturally living horses and how they interact with their environment and excited to look at the population and start getting a better understanding of how they’re living out here.”
The program finds that horses should be relocated to these wilderness areas. They argue that horses feeding on grass and clearing brush is more ecologically friendly than prescribed burns.
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