LLM Alum Publishes Article on Wild Horse Management and Tribal Sovereignty

Lewis & Clark Law School alumna Elaina Erola’s (LLM ’26) new article, Wild and Untamed: The Problem of Wild Horses on Federal and Indian Lands, was recently published in the Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation.

Erola developed the article as part of an independent research project while pursuing her LLM in Lewis & Clark’s Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Program. Working closely with a faculty advisor, she explored the intersection of environmental law, federal Indian law, and public lands management.

The article examines how unmanaged wild horse populations affect Tribal Nations and argues that the issue should be understood not only as one of environmental stewardship and wildlife management, but also as a matter of tribal sovereignty and the federal government’s trust responsibilities. Drawing on legal history, federal statutes, and case studies from Tribal communities across the West, she explores how current management policies have placed significant ecological and economic burdens on Tribes while limiting their ability to manage wild horse populations on their own lands.

The article concludes by outlining potential legal and policy solutions, including expanded federal support, stronger tribal consultation and co-management, and greater recognition of Tribal authority over wild horse management within their territories.

Read the article on SSRN.