Bozeman, Mont.—The Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) today announced the recipients of America’s first Virtual Fence Conservation Fund. PERC is awarding more than $400,000 to eight pioneering farms and ranches that demonstrate the transformative potential of virtual fencing technology in livestock management and wildlife conservation.
Following a national call for entries that resulted in an overwhelming response of 160+ applications totaling $7+ million in total grant requests, the selected projects span five states and address a wide variety of conservation challenges ranging from big game migration corridors to monarch butterfly habitat protection, predator conflict reduction, creek restoration, and wildfire mitigation.
“Ranchers are thinking creatively when it comes to applying virtual fencing technology to address conservation challenges,” said PERC CEO Brian Yablonski. “We’re honored to invest in the future of conservation by partnering with five landowners to launch game-changing projects that aspire to protect land, water, and wildlife while supporting working lands.”
Groundbreaking grant recipients include
- Wolf Conflict Management – Krebs Ranch (Oregon)
Partnering with Colorado State University, this project explores innovative approaches to reducing livestock-wolf interactions by using virtual fencing paired with other innovative livestock management tools to strategically manage cattle across the landscape of eastern Oregon, demonstrating how virtual fencing can mitigate predator conflicts. - Riparian Corridors and Big Game Migration – E Spear Ranch (Wyoming)
Located in the Wood River drainage and a critical migration corridor for the iconic Cody Elk herd, this 65,000-acre project addresses riparian corridor concerns, wildlife movement, and predator interactions while protecting historic sites, including Amelia Earhart’s cabin. - Pollinator Conservation – B’Haven Goats (Wisconsin)
This project represents the first known virtual fence initiative designed to conserve pollinator habitat, carefully managing a population of goats across 110 acres to support butterflies and nesting bobolink birds. - Riparian Restoration – Badger Creek Ranch (Colorado)
Building off existing success with virtual fencing, this 6,000-acre project focuses on protecting sensitive creek corridors through precision management of cattle. - Wildfire Mitigation – Knoxville Wildlife Management Area (California)
The project aims to reduce fire risk and improve landscape health by reintroducing strategic grazing on 5,200 acres, collaborating with the University of California Davis to challenge existing land management narratives.
Additionally, PERC is also supporting three other virtual fence projects outside its Virtual Fence Conservation Fund. These include:
- Greater Sage Grouse Habitat – Box X Ranch (Montana)
Located within a key region for greater sage grouse breeding ground and habitat, the Box X has successfully deployed virtual fencing on a portion of its cattle for the past year and will significantly expand its use thanks to the partnership with PERC and the World Wildlife Fund. The virtual fencing aims to ensure adequate timing and density of grazing patterns in sage grouse habitat to work towards the bird’s long-term success. The project will also seek to eventually remove physical fences for the benefit of pronghorn migration. Physical fences also harm sage grouse conservation, as the birds can collide with fences and aid predators such as raptors. - Grazing Improvement and Riparian Protection – Multiple Ranches (Montana)
In partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Noble Research Institute, this project will deploy virtual fencing across private and public lands owned and leased by the J Bar L, Martinell, and Matador Ranches in Montana’s Centennial Valley. 2,875 cattle will be collared with multiple goals in mind, including improved soil health, improved water quality through riparian filtration, and potentially predator conflict management on some portions of the project. - Big Game Migration – Pitchfork Ranch (Wyoming)
The ranch will collar cattle across the ranch, which is located within a major migration artery for the regionally significant Cody Elk Herd and Carter Mountain Pronghorn Herd. The ranch includes a grazing permit on the Shoshone National Forest, the epicenter of conflict surrounding grizzly bears and wolves. PERC is joining The Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Ricketts Conservation Foundation, and Beyond Yellowstone Living Lab to support the effort.
Virtual Fence 101
Virtual fencing uses GPS-enabled collars and base stations or cell signals to create invisible boundaries, opening the door for more adaptive and flexible livestock management, and potentially reducing the need for physical fences. This emerging technology reduces the barriers many livestock producers face when thinking about conservation practices and supports livestock production in concert with conservation.
America’s First Virtual Fence Conservation Fund
Launched in Fall 2024, PERC’s Virtual Fence Conservation Fund invited ranchers, landowners, Tribes, and conservationists to request support for innovative virtual fencing projects that support working lands, advance conservation, and demonstrate the potential of cutting-edge conservation technologies.
Grant requests could range from $10,000 to $75,000, with an initial total of $250,000 available. To qualify, applicants proposed a conservation benefit, a commitment to monitoring and sharing results, and a sustainable plan for long-term use.
In addition to receiving project funding, PERC will provide each grant recipient with ongoing expertise and support as they work to implement the technology.
A leader in creative conservation solutions, PERC is at the forefront of exploring virtual fencing technology for conservation. Last year, PERC convened the largest virtual fencing workshop of its kind, bringing together experts from technology, agriculture, government, and conservation sectors. This landmark event united thought leaders to discuss the latest technological developments and analyze how virtual fencing could be strategically applied to support wildlife conservation.
PERC’s Conservation Innovation Lab has already partnered with ranchers to pilot virtual fencing technology. By understanding ranchers and landowners as key conservation partners, PERC has developed flexible solutions that work for both wildlife and human communities.
“Innovations like virtual fencing could be a game-changer for the future of cattle ranching,” said Mark Eisele, past president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “PERC’s leadership in this emerging area, matched with the pioneering ingenuity of ranchers, will undoubtedly help blaze a bold new trail for conservation and ranching alike.”
