WORKING WILD

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Photo by Melanie Elzinga

NEW Producer Tool Kits for Wildlife-Livestock Conflict Reduction

OUR GOAL

Thriving ranches and thriving wildlife.

Working lands stitch together the patchwork of landscapes that create the character of the West and the open space valued by so many, both people and wildlife. The Working WildChallenge is a landowner-led effort that recognizes the challenge of ranching with wildlife, and facilitates constructive dialogue between wildlife managers and working lands stewards to solve problems through peer learning, public policies, and increasing access to technical and financial assistance. Our approach leads to stronger partnerships, more resilient ranches, and ultimately, better-connected landscapes.

MEDIA RELEASE

$22 million coming for conflict reduction

Major investments by USDA, through WLA and Heart of the Rockies, respond to need for technical and financial assistance for conflict reduction practices.

ACE Act funding opportunity

The “Grant Program for Losses of Livestock Due to Depredation by Federally Protected Species” within the American Conservation Enhancements (ACE) act, if fully funded, would provide $15 million annually through Fiscal Year 2025 for state-implemented compensation and conflict prevention programs.

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OUR APPROACH

Understanding. Connection. Solutions.

Seeking Understanding

Between private stewards, public lands and wildlife managers, conservation organizations, and the public. Holding space on the landscape requires holding space for difficult conversations.

Connecting Practitioners

Through ranch tours, listening sessions, practitioner calls, stakeholder gatherings, virtual meetings, and publications, we connect with each other to promote peer-to-peer information exchange.

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Creating economic and policy solutions

As primary stakeholders with deep personal and financial ties to the land, we ensure that landowners have a direct voice in the policy matters that impact us.

CONFLICT REDUCTION CONSORTIUM

Photo by Melanie Elzinga

THE FOUR C's OF THE WWC

Conflict prevention, Control, Compensation & Collaboration

Conflict prevention

Conflict prevention tools need durable sources of funding to allow producers to implement these nonlethal methods within an adaptive framework.

Control

Lethal control is a critical tool in managing large carnivores on working landscapes; supporting, not undermining, conflict prevention.

Compensation

Compensation for losses to predation is a reasonable and important form of public support for policies that expand the ranges of widely-valued wildlife like wolves and bears.

Collaboration

Collaboration engages landowners early and meaningfully in decision-making processes and is critical to both effectiveness and equity when developing wildlife policies and land management plans.

Stories from the Working Wild

People are at the heart of healthy western wildlands

Can a fence that allows elk to pass stop the disease they carry?

Tough Questions about Wolves in Washington

Livestock Grazing and Hunting to Change Elk Behavior

Montana's Bangtail Divide - Abby Nelson

Catron and Apache Counties - Nelson Shirley

Wyoming's Sublette County - Cat Urbigkit

Colorado's Mountain Island - Kenyon Fields and Mary Conover

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Resources

Range Riding Producer Tool Kit

Electric Fencing Producer Tool Kit

Carcass Management Producer Tool Kit

A road map to place-based collaboration for conflict reduction

2023 National Policy Platform

Cover of NRCS State Cons_producer sign-on letter_vFinal.Updat.09.06.22

Letter to NRCS Re: Non-lethal predator risk management

Supporting Working Lands and Wildlife with the Four C’s

Cover from Working Across the Rural-Urban Divide - Messaging for Conflict Reduction - v.F.063021

Working across the rural-urban divide: Messaging for large carnivore conflict reduction

Redefining Conservation for the 21st Century

Working Wild Challenge Policy Recommendations

People and Carnivores films

Guidebook to Human Carnivore Conflict

Guardian Dogs: Best Practice Manual for the use of Livestock Guardian Dogs

A Review: The Use of Livestock Protection Dogs in Association with Large Carnivores in the Rocky Mountains

Livestock protection dogs (LPDs) in the United States have helped to protect livestock herds from certain predators, but expanding, large-carnivore populations pose new challenges, and the number of LPDs killed by large predators is increasing. This literature review identifies LPD breeds that may be more suited for use around large carnivores, such as gray wolves. Read the Article (PDF)

Defenders of Wildlife Electric Fence Costshare program

Installing Turbo Fladry: An informational guide

Electrified Fladry for the Deterrence of Wolves

Safeguarding the Ranch, Farm, and Home from Grizzly Bears

Deterring Bears with Electrified Fencing: A beginner’s guide

USFWS Grizzly Response Protocol

Literature Review of Livestock Compensation Programs: Considering ways to assist livestock producers with grizzly conservation efforts in Montana

Montana Master Hunters program

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Help us grow the Working Wild Challenge program by donating now. Your financial contribution will help us expand our approach to more frontline communities across the West, ultimately connecting and protecting more landscapes.

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