Rangelands in the larger project area (oneil PPA) are threatened by invasive annual grass invasion, conifer encroachment (all 3 phases), loss of mesic habitats and wildfire (please see oneil PPA EA)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded a $150,500 Cooperative Agreement under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program (CFDA 15.631) to Cottonwood Ranch LLC, a for-profit, veteran-owned limited liability company. The agreement, with a performance period from January 2024 to September 2028, will fund ranch-scale trials and documentation of virtual fencing technology to manage livestock distribution and support sustainable rangeland management practices in sagebrush ecosystems. The project aims to provide information on successful virtual fencing applications to land managers and natural resource professionals through the University of Nevada Reno Extension. Additionally, the agreement will explore the use of other technologies to collect data on livestock distribution to guide management decisions. This project builds on Cottonwood Ranch LLC's previous experience implementing federal awards focused on sustainable land management practices, soil improvement, and habitat restoration in sagebrush ecosystems.

Specifically on the ranch where this project will be conducted, invasive annual grasses and conifer encroachment are not major threats, but there are significant needs to protect wetland and riparian systems that provide critical late brood-rearing habitat and to protect and enhance plant community composition in upland areas. Virtual fencing (VF) is a promising new tool to help land and livestock managers achieve the desired distribution of livestock grazing use on rangelands. Virtual fences use audio warning signals and electrical pulses as a negative consequence for animals that enter the boundary. Reducing reliance on static boundaries (conventional fence) and increasing use of moveable boundaries (VF) provides increased management flexibility for land and livestock managers. This increased flexibility for managing livestock distribution supports sustainable rangeland management that will provide livestock production and wildlife habitat benefits, simultaneously in sagebrush ecosystems. This project will focus on conducting ranch-scale trials and documenting information about what leads to successful applications of VF to meet livestock production and natural resource objectives. The information gained from this project will be made available to UNR extension for use in presentations and publications to share with other producers and natural resource professionals with state and federal agencies who are interested in VF. This project will also explore the use of other technology to collect information about livestock distribution across complex rangeland landscapes to help ranchers and natural resource specialists decide whether or not VF provides opportunities for management in areas where IT has not yet been adopted.