Rewilding Horses. Restoring Land. Protecting Our Public Lands.
The Birch Creek Project works to protect intact ecological processes, restore degraded ecosystems, and build local communities. As public lands come under increasing threat, we stand for the American people’s right to access and responsibly use these lands. We believe that proper management of our lands can sustain opportunities for wildlife, ranching, recreation, and wild horses. We strive to carry out this work in harmony with local communities while supporting rural livelihoods and First Peoples.
Science-Led Monitoring and Accountability
Monitoring is central to everything we do.
At Birch Creek, long-term, data-driven monitoring allows us to understand how rewilding horses affects land, wildlife, and ecosystem processes over time. This ensures our work is measurable, transparent, and grounded in ecological science.
Our monitoring includes:
Vegetation transects to track range health and plant diversity
Breeding bird surveys as indicators of ecosystem health
Camera traps to observe wildlife movement and interactions
Soil and dung sampling to assess nutrient cycling
Monitoring sensitive species such as sage-grouse, pygmy rabbits, and endemic plants
Monitoring allows us to adapt, improve, and clearly communicate results to communities, funders, scientists, and agencies
Rewilding Horses as Part of Ecosystem Resilience
The Birch Creek Project values tradition, culture, and community
The Birch Creek Project sits within a broader network of public lands that belong to all Americans.
Across the country, these landscapes, communities, and the wildlife that rely on them face mounting pressures. Our work is centered on safeguarding spaces where ecosystems can remain strong and adaptable while maintaining thoughtful and responsible land use, and public access.
Protecting land is not about exclusion. It is about long-term care, shared responsibility, and future generations.
Research, Learning, and Adaptive Management
Birch Creek Projects function as a living laboratory for science-led rewilding.
Internal research informs day-to-day land management decisions. External research brings independent expertise, peer review, and broader credibility. Together, they ensure this work contributes meaningfully to conservation efforts across the American West.
Research efforts may include:
Tracking movement of horses, wildlife, and livestock
Evaluating coexistence strategies with ranching operations
Collaboration with experts in ecology, hydrology, animal behavior, and restoration science
Our goal is to create a model that is scalable, responsible, and replicable beyond Birch Creek