B08_Attach2_SectionC_FencingStandards_57_pages.pdf

This is a BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Handbook on fencing standards for federal lands, specifically H-1741-1, released December 6, 1989. The handbook provides comprehensive guidance on the design, construction, maintenance, modification, and removal of fences on BLM-managed lands, superseding previous release 1-1419.

The handbook establishes coordination and planning standards requiring that all fencing decisions evolve from interdisciplinary analysis of resource values and management objectives documented in resource management plans and environmental impact statements. It mandates consultation with livestock operators, district grazing advisory boards, conservation organizations, federal and state agencies, and authorized public land users. Key planning considerations address energy and mineral development, public land disposals, recreation access, visual resources, wildlife impacts, soils and water conditions, and grazing management. The handbook provides detailed fence design and construction standards for diverse resource situations including livestock control (cattle and sheep), big game habitat (pronghorn antelope, javelina, deer, elk, moose, and bighorn sheep), wild horses and burros, bison ranges, recreation sites, and riparian areas. Specific standards include wire spacing, fence heights, gate configurations, and materials appropriate to each use combination. Additional sections address nontraditional fence types such as electric fences, suspension fences, smooth-wire fences, adjustable fences, and let-down fences. The handbook also covers maintenance protocols, modification and removal criteria, and reconstruction guidelines, establishing the owner's responsibility for fence maintenance and BLM oversight of compliance with established standards. Preservative-treated wood posts must meet American Wood Preservers' Bureau standards with specific retention and penetration requirements.