Photo taken at RTF’s San Luis Obispo, Calif., satellite sanctuary by Cathy Wallace.

A study published this week by the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution looks at the effects of low-intensity semi-wild horse grazing in two rewilding areas in Portugal’s Côa Valley.

We’re keenly interested in such research. We see properly managed grazing and holistic management as part of a long-term solution to restore our public lands.

For the three-year study, researchers from Portugal, the Netherlands, and Scotland tested whether semi-wild horse grazing could be used to decrease fire potential and promote biodiversity.

Sorraia horses, a native Portuguese horse, were reintroduced by Rewilding Portugal: 10 horses in a 160-acre location, later reduced to five horses, and 16 horses on an 815-acre piece.

Horse grazing did have an effect, reducing grass height and mitigating possible fire hazards, among other things. Their impact to woody vegetation was not as strong.

The study aligned with rewilding frameworks, which encourage diverse grazers on a landscape, at numbers within an ecosystem carrying capacity, to create “a structurally diverse mosaic of habitats.”

RTF is proud to be a forerunner in utilizing regenerative grazing for animals not being raised for food.

Working with experts Rodger Savory and Alejandro Carrillo, we have revitalized nearly 1,000 acres of grassland at our San Luis Obispo, Calif., satellite sanctuary. We carefully herd 69 wild horses, 23 burros and 13 cattle across the land to emulate what would happen if there were endless grasslands, diverse grazing mammals and predators to keep those herds moving.

We’ve worked with Carillo on a successful grazing project on a military base in Arizona modeling the benefit of integrating rescued burros, too.

This year, we’re implementing regenerative grazing at our headquarters in Lompoc, Calif., thanks to a grant from the Cochuma Resource Conservation District.