10 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • DECEMBER 2017
Experience the Journey
of Rewilding
Many of us have contemplated what the notion of freedom means
within ourselves. For Long Island native, Manda Kalimian, her
journey has been to find the kind of freedom embodied by the spirit
of the wild horse; an energy that allows her to connect with the
true purpose of her higher self, on her own path to become wild
and free.
As an advocate for horses and the environment, Manda’s lifelong
work has been to spread awareness on how protecting and
preserving our wild horses simultaneously protects our American
landscapes. That’s why Manda founded CANA Foundation; a Long
Island based 501(C)3 nonprofit that advocates for and works to
rewild our wild horses, habitats and humanity.
Currently, more than 60,000 wild horses have been rounded up off
public lands and stand in cramped holding pens across America,
costing taxpayers over $100 million a year & rising. These wild
horses are caught in the crossfire of a land grab in our 12 western
states by large agribusiness, oil fracking and drilling interests.
CANA Foundation is currently undertaking several initiatives to
rewild and rehome these wild horses on Native American lands;
improving their quality of life and ensuring they live with dignity in a
protected habitat, free from the risk of slaughter and out of Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) holding facilities. These rewilding
initiatives simultaneously provide sustainability projects to the
communities that welcome them home.
“The future well being of the planet lies within the teachings of our
native nations, the original stewards of this land. They innately
understand best how to live in balance with the environment and
can inspire all people to do the same.”
Rewilding, or the restoration of life giving ways, is nature
in balance as it was originally intended. Manda believes
it is time to look toward our wild horses and their
natural ability to balance and live in harmony with the
environment, in order to help us rewild as people.