New Virtual Fence Resource Guide Expands Access to Emerging Tool for Livestock Management and Wildlife Conservation

Virtual fence is an emerging technology with the potential to transform livestock management and wildlife conservation across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. To support adoption of this innovative tool, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition has released a new Virtual Fence Resource Guide that consolidates information on funding opportunities, use cases, and available virtual fence vendors. 

“The vast public and private lands that make up Greater Yellowstone are crisscrossed with miles of physical fencing,” said Erin Welty, Senior Wyoming Conservation Associate at the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. “Replacing traditional fences with virtual fencing can improve livestock management while restoring habitat connectivity for wildlife.” 

Virtual fence technology allows livestock producers to precisely manage grazing using GPS-enabled collars and invisible boundaries, eliminating the need for barbed wire and other physical barriers. Producers can track livestock locations in real time and adjust grazing areas remotely, saving time and ultimately reducing labor and infrastructure costs. 

At the same time, the technology delivers significant conservation benefits. By reducing physical fencing on the landscape, virtual fence allows wildlife to move more freely, decreases risks of entanglement, and helps keep livestock out of sensitive habitats. The technology also supports rotational grazing practices that maintain rangeland health and improves separation between livestock and wildlife, including elk and grizzly bears. 

“Cost remains one of the biggest barriers to adopting virtual fence technology,” Welty said. “This guide is intended to help overcome that hurdle by bringing together a robust list of funding opportunities and practical resources in one place.” 

Virtual fence systems rely on GPS-enabled collars that emit auditory and, if necessary, electrical cues as animals approach a boundary set by producers. Over time, livestock learn to respond to these cues through classical conditioning, allowing producers to manage grazing flexibly without permanent infrastructure on the landscape. 

Please visit lovegyc.org/virtual-fence to view the guide and to learn more about virtual fence in Greater Yellowstone.