Paradise Valley, MT — The Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) today launched a new private fund to assist ranchers in Montana’s Paradise Valley in maintaining fencing damaged by wildlife, adopting wildlife-friendly fencing, while also supporting the migration of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s iconic elk herds.
The Paradise Valley Fence Fund is a three-year pilot project initially capitalized at $50,000 to help ranchers pay for fence-related projects that protect migratory wildlife, prevent human-wildlife conflict, and support ranch operations. It covers work such as installing new wildlife-friendly fences, fixing or replacing fences damaged by wildlife, promoting wildlife connectivity by keeping gates open during migratory periods, and fencing off areas that might attract predators, such as bone piles. Once a rancher’s application is accepted, the cost share program will cover approximately 30 to 50 percent of costs, with the rancher responsible for covering the rest.
“Paradise Valley is a rare treasure where stewardship for one of America’s greatest wildlife migrations falls to a small group of family-owned ranches,” said PERC CEO Brian Yablonski. “This groundbreaking program strengthens the vital partnership between the people who tend to open lands and the wildlife who depend upon it. This isn’t about fence construction; it’s about safeguarding a legacy where elk herds roam and working lands continue to sustain the wild heart of Montana.”
The private working lands of Paradise Valley provide essential habitat for the region’s migratory elk and other wildlife, including grizzly bears. But providing this habitat comes at a cost to ranchers as elk consume forage, spread disease, and damage infrastructure like fencing, and grizzly bears depredate on livestock and threaten humans. In addition to these costs, ranchers face development pressure to subdivide the valley, a process that both threatens their livelihoods and chokes off wildlife migration routes. Living alongside large wildlife like elk and bears isn’t always easy, but with the right tools and infrastructure in place, ranchers’ livelihoods are safeguarded, and more animals will stay alive. Helping ranchers share the cost of living with wildlife is increasingly accepted as an important market-based component of maintaining open space that serves as critical wildlife habitat.
In a 2024 PERC survey of Paradise Valley landowners, 93 percent indicated that they suffer regular damage to fences on their property with the vast majority of damage attributed to elk. According to one Paradise Valley rancher, “hundreds of elk will take out five spans of fence at a time.” On an annual basis, 50 percent of these landowners estimated their wildlife-associated repair costs range from $1,000 to $10,000 annually. In addition, as grizzly bears continue to expand their range, it is necessary to fence off attractants to prevent human-bear conflicts. Many ranches maintain bone piles, grain stores, or other attractants as part of normal ranching operations. These attractants can draw bears in, increasing the likelihood of conflict. Electrically fencing off these attractants can keep bears away and prevent grizzly-human or grizzly-livestock interactions. Fencing infrastructure is a critical and costly component of a rancher’s operation. Financial assistance can help offset fencing costs and encourage greater support for wildlife.
To access the Fence Fund, there is no formal enrollment process, no payment is required, and a straightforward set of criteria determines eligibility for landowners.
This fund is made possible by the generous support of partners including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), SITKA Gear, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC), and the Spruance Foundation. RMEF and SITKA are specifically contributing to wildlife-friendly fencing in the valley, while GYC is contributing to electric fencing costs. PERC and the Spruance Foundation are supporting the entire program.
“Working landscapes are a critical component of habitat connectivity and wildlife management,” said Lindsey Davis, SITKA’s director of conservation and advocacy. “We are proud to support the efforts of PERC and the official launch of The Paradise Valley Fence Fund through the SITKA Ecosystem Grant Program.”
PERC’s Conservation Innovation Lab developed the fence fund. An established conservation leader in Paradise Valley, PERC previously established the Paradise Valley Brucellosis Compensation Fund, as well as partnerships with ranchers through an Elk Occupancy Agreement and “Elk Rent” Payment for Presence project.
Click here for more information about eligibility and payout structure.
