Fencing

The best conflict risk management tool may be an electric fence designed to exclude bears and wolves. Whether around a calving pasture or a chicken coop, a vegetable garden or fruit orchard, properly energized fences have proven very effective at keeping carnivores out of trouble spots. Once in place, these fences require only modest maintenance, and the electricity cost is very low, or, in the case of a solar-powered fence, virtually free.

Short-distance, temporary fences can be easily built without the need for any machinery, and out of relatively inexpensive materials. Increasingly, coexistence experts are finding that fences for excluding bears from crops and beehives can be surprisingly low-height, if properly electrified. Permanent fences require more planning, and typically will involve heavy equipment for putting posts in the ground. However, permanent fences work well in some scenarios. Both temporary and permanent fences can be designed with drop-down segments so as to not be a barrier to other wildlife species. People and Carnivores works with landowners and agency managers to design, implement, and maintain fencing solutions.