BLM completes wildlife friendly fence conversion at JO ranch
RAWLINS, Wyo. – The Bureau of Land Management announced fence conversion work at the JO ranch in June. The work has now been completed and the JO fence project replaced 3.15 miles of existing grazing allotment boundary fence, to a four-wire wildlife friendly design.
The previous fence was a combination of old woven wire/multi-strand barbed wire which impeded wildlife movement. The fence is in both mule deer and elk crucial winter range as well as pronghorn habitat. Restrictive movements for wildlife in crucial winter range during extreme conditions can be deadly for wildlife.
Multiple benefits are gained from converting any fence on the landscape that restricts wildlife movements. This beneficial improvement will allow wildlife to move more freely across the landscape with their young, going from summer, transitional and wintering habitats.
Additional fence conversions are planned within the watershed as part of the Muddy Creek Restoration Landscape initiative utilizing funds made available by the Inflation Reduction Act. This provides the opportunity to bring together livestock permittees and wildlife non-governmental groups that want to do good things for big game species.
For more information, please contact blm_wy_912@blm.gov or call 307-775-6328.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.