Sustained forests; sustained profits
Sustained forests; sustained profits
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The group designs a suitable fence, develops an efficient procedure for installing them, creates horse and other pastures. Local woods are used. A notable but compatible-color is used. Minimum wood preservatives are used. Bird houses accompany all fences. Hexagonal adjacent pastures are used as rest rotation of areas. Flag poles with locally-made colorful flags are typically placed at two corners of each fenced pasture. Under-sized wood is thinned from forests to supply fencing and to improve stand quality. Special efforts are directed at stream and pond bank fencing to reduce erosion and improve riparian conditions generally.
Deer damage has reached unbearable levels in some areas. A Pest Force is one option that may develop, but a separate subproject may develop a cost-effective high out-rigger fence for protecting nurseries, crops, and high-valued landscaping. Electric fencing and repetitious use of repellents (as from a lawn mowing service) may also become part of the supplies and services provided.
Signs may be included within the fencing group.
D. Baines and M. Andrew.2003. Marking of deer fences to reduce frequency of collisions by woodland grouse. Biological Conservation, Volume 110, Number 2, , pp. 169 - 176.
Abstract
Recent studies of the effects of deer fences on tetraonids have concluded
that fences are an important cause of mortality in woodland grouse. This
2-year study involving 16 sections of fences in the Scottish Highlands
evaluates the effectiveness of making fences highly visible by using orange
netting to reduce bird collisions with fences. A total of 437 collisions
involving 13 bird species were recorded. Red Grouse ... formed 42% of all
collisions, with black grouse ... 29% and capercaillie ... 20%. Allowing
for corpse removal by scavengers, an estimated 70% of red grouse and 29% of
black grouse collisions were fatal. Black grouse and capercaillie both
collided with 11 of the 16 fences at mean rates of 1.3 and 0.9 collisions km
(-1) year (-1), red grouse collisions occurred at 13 fences, with a mean
rate of 1.6 collisions km (-1) year (-1). Fewer grouse collisions occurred
in the summer. Three quarters of black grouse collisions were by males.
Collision rates were positively correlated with indices of black grouse and
capercaillie abundance. Fence marking reduced capercaillie collisions by
64%, black grouse by 91%, and red grouse by 49%. Although marked fences
reduced capercaillie collision rates, they still remainad an important cause
of mortality. To conserve capercaillie, fences need to be removed
altogether pending increased deer culls that would allow woodland
regeneration without fences, or "grouse friendly" fences designed.
Estimated development cost is $40,000 with potential profits based on marketing and levels of area use achieved by other groups.
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