Eagle County Conservation District and CSU Extension

Background

CSU Extension is working with the Eagle County Conservation District, who was the recipient of a Conservation Innovation Grant in 2022. The grant allows us to test the efficacy, user experience and range management implications of virtual fence in the extremely rugged and remote terrain of western Colorado.

What is Virtual Fence?

Virtual fencing is a relatively new and innovative technology. Using a wireless network of GPS communication data, ranchers can draw virtual boundary lines – or virtual fences (‘vences’) from a computer. Cattle are outfitted with collars that can receive signals. Collars give cattle an audio cue as they approach a boundary, and benign shock if they pass the ‘vence’ limit. This technology gives livestock producers tremendous flexibility in how they manage and control the movement of their herds across rangelands, however, it is untested in mountainous, rugged and remote terrain.

Our Project 

• Started in 2022, and goes through 2025.
• Funds incentivize ranchers to test the technology, and provide staff for administration and rangeland monitoring.
• We’ve deployed 1,857 and 2,745 collars in ’22 and ‘23 respectively among 6 participating ranchers, and coverage is estimated at 640 sq miles from 10 base stations.
• We’ve conducted field monitoring on rangeland metrics during summers ’22, ’23 and ’24. We have also interviewed ranchers on their experiences throughout the project.

Learn More

Hear about the experiences from ranchers on this project and beyond.

Additional Resources on Virtual Fence

Extension Rangeland Specialists from several universities have collaborated to put together a digital guide to empowers ranchers and land managers to effectively evaluate and use VF for improved rangeland management. Explore the foundations of VF through factsheets, watch the videos, access geospatial resources, and use handouts from workshops and webinars to better understand a VF system.