Counterpoint: Opposition to Horse Sanctuary Proposal in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Photo Credit: Arizona Rafting

A proposal is under consideration to relocate approximately 60 ownerless Salt River horses from the Tonto National Forest to 600 acres in the northern part of Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve. While the intent of protecting the horses is commendable, the plan poses serious environmental, legal, logistical, and public safety concerns that conflict with the Preserve’s core mission.

  1. Environmental and Ecological Impact

The Preserve was established to protect the native desert ecosystem. Introducing a non-native species—large, free-roaming grazing animals—threatens to permanently disrupt its fragile habitat:

  • Horses would overgraze native plants due to the area’s scarce vegetation and lack of sufficient forage.
  • Red brome, the most common invasive vegetation, is low in nutrition and potentially harmful to horses. Native plants would be consumed first, leading to denuded land and soil degradation.
  • Horses will strip trees and compact soil around feeding/watering zones, preventing regrowth and increasing invasive species spread.
  • The confined area (600 acres vs. 20,000 acres in the Tonto National Forest) makes overgrazing and ecological imbalance inevitable.
  • These 600 acres that will be destroyed cost taxpayers approximately 31 million dollars.
  1. Threat to Native Wildlife

According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, horses (considered feral) would:

  • Compete with native species (like mule deer) for food and water.
  • Congregate at limited water sources, reducing wildlife access.
  • Spread invasive weeds, alter natural wildlife behavior, and degrade overall habitat quality.
  • Hay brought in for horses is harmful to native species and impossible to isolate from wildlife.
  1. Water Scarcity and Infrastructure Concerns

The area lacks natural water sources:

  • Drilling wells is not an option due to water table concerns impacting nearby communities.
  • Extending water lines would be expensive and damaging to the Preserve.
  • Hauling water regularly would degrade roads, increase costs, and contribute to environmental harm.
  1. Feeding, Management, and Financial Liability

Feeding must be provided year-round due to poor forage quality:

  • Supplemental hay must be safe and free of invasive seeds—an ongoing, expensive obligation.
  • If funding or deliveries fail, horses may suffer or die. No backup plan is provided.
  • The city would own the horses, assuming full, long-term responsibility (20–30 years per horse).
  • A proposed new nonprofit (501(c)3) would manage the sanctuary—but its sustainability, funding, and volunteer base are uncertain and untested.
  1. Public Use, Safety, and Legal Conflicts

The Preserve is meant for conservation and passive recreation, not non-native animal sanctuaries:

  • Fencing and gates would inconvenience hikers, bikers, and equestrians—and pose safety risks if not used properly.
  • Horses might escape, causing dangerous traffic collisions, such as a fatal 2004 incident on Rio Verde Drive.
  • Trail users could face injuries from spooked or aggressive horses, especially mares in heat near herd stallions.
  • Scottsdale’s City Code governing Preserve management explicitly prohibits this type of use.
  • If a wildfire threatens the sanctuary area, who will be responsible for the safety of the horses? The Scottsdale Fire Department shouldn’t have to divert from firefighting to do so, or be responsible for volunteers who offer to do so.
  1. Infrastructure and Expansion

The sanctuary would require:

  • Supply buildings, shade structures, access roads, and a parking lot—contradicting the Preserve’s low-impact principles.
  • Four miles of fencing, with gates, would need to be built to corral the horses.
  • Funds currently allocated for maintaining existing trailheads may be redirected to build this unnecessary infrastructure.

Conclusion

While the intent to help these horses is admirable, this proposal is fundamentally incompatible with the mission, policies, and ecological health of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Instead, perhaps efforts should focus on supporting proper management of the Salt River herd in its existing habitat, where the infrastructure and environment are already adapted to sustain them.