Episode 42 | Virtual Fencing: Win-Win Tech for Wildlife and Livestock
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The vast public and private lands that make up Greater Yellowstone are crisscrossed with miles upon miles of fences. While fences aren’t inherently bad—and are often necessary in certain areas to keep wildlife off roads, livestock contained, and property boundaries visible—they create barriers that fragment wildlife habitat.
What happens when wildlife can’t reach seasonal habitats—and how can we make wildlife migration and movement easier for these iconic Greater Yellowstone species?
Erin Welty, GYC’s senior Wyoming conservation associate, presents at a virtual fence symposium in 2025. (Photo GYC)
Virtual fencing is an exciting new technology that’s making waves across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and beyond. It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like—a nonphysical barrier that utilizes GPS and other wireless signals to keep collared livestock contained.
We’ll learn much more about the details of virtual fencing during the conversation, but what’s really cool about virtual fencing is that it’s an absolute win-win solution for both wildlife and ranchers.
Joining us on the podcast is Erin Welty, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s senior Wyoming conservation associate. Based in Cody, Wyoming, Erin focuses on connecting wildlife habitat and ensuring wildlife are able to migrate and move more easily across the ecosystem. She’s leading our virtual fence work and helping ranchers learn more about how they can utilize this program on their land.
Alright, let’s start conversation—no jumping fences required!
The team covers what exactly public lands are and why they’re so special, what issues we’re seeing when it comes to protecting public lands , and what the Greater Yellowstone Coalition is doing to ensure public lands remain in public hands.
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the land of 49+ Indigenous Tribes who maintain current and ancestral connections to the lands, waters, wildlife, plants, and more.
Voices of Greater Yellowstone was created by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, a conservation nonprofit dedicated to working with people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, now and for future generations.
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Podcast Artwork > Rachel Dunlap Art
Music > Redwood Trail by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Thanks for listening in!
-Emmy Reed, Senior Digital Communications Associate (Bozeman, Montana)
