Park County Initiative Raising Fences to Lower Wildlife Barriers
Written by Andrew-Rossi on January 14, 2021
Park County is home to a new collaborative fencing experiment that builds harmony between Wyoming’s livestock and wildlife.
As part of the ongoing initiative to preserve wildlife and migration routes throughout the state, several agencies in Park County have joined forces to create the Absaroka Fence Initiative – a solution-oriented group of landowners, community members, non-governmental organizations, and local government agencies.
The objective of this first-of-its-kind initiative is to build fences that simultaneously meet the needs of wildlife movement and livestock management. To accomplish this, the current members of the Absaroka Fence Initiative are planning to increase their success through on-the-ground projects, public workdays, and community outreach.
Image taken by Kathy Lichtendahl. AFI volunteers work on replacing fence wire in Park County.
Tony Mong, Absaroka Fence Initiative Chair, says “by bringing together the expertise and resources of our partners into a shared initiative, we can more effectively enhance wildlife movement and livestock functionality by adding, modifying or removing fences.”
The Absaroka Fence Initiative is just getting started on its mission. The group is currently working with research partners to complete an analysis that evaluates the most critical areas where fencing needs to be addressed in the county, while simultaneously completing initial on the ground projects.
Their first public event – which has yet to have an official time or place – is tentatively scheduled for Spring 2021.
Wildlife initiatives are now at the forefront of state politics and priorities in recent years. In southern Wyoming, WYDOT and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition are embarking on the largest wildlife crossing project in Wyoming’s history, while the state still works to implement Governor Mark Gordon’s executive order aimed at protecting mule deer migration routes throughout the state.
The best way to stay up-to-date with the ongoing initiatives of the Absaroka Fence Project is to follow them on Facebook or visit their website at absarokafenceinitiative.org.
Courtesy Absaroka Fence Initiative
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