Land in the North Bay is cut up by hundreds of thousands of fences. While some fences serve a specific purpose, many fences are unnecessary or no longer useful. Fencing creates significant barriers and dangers to wildlife, channeling movement, blocking off natural resources and causing injury. Consider removing unnecessary fencing from your property and making existing fencing wildlife friendly unless it is specifically being used to keep wildlife out. Let us open the landscape for free wildlife movement.
Our mountain lion GPS data and trail camera survey have clearly demonstrated that mountain lions and many other mammals choose intact, natural habitat, as corridors to move through the landscape. We encourage landowners to assess their property in relation to the surrounding properties with a view to maintaining natural corridors. This is particularly important along creeks which often serve as the only corridor through valleys cleared for farming.
We understand why people are proactively clearing vegetation to prevent fires, however extensive and continuous clearing of understory or ladder fuel may have a negative impact on wildlife. Many mammals, birds and reptiles rely on the cover and other resources that brush provides. Our research in the North Bay shows that Mountain lions strongly select for habitat that provides cover. You can use a satellite map to predict where mountain lions are present on the landscape by looking for the dark green which represents vegetation cover. Now some of these areas with trees are not actually providing understory cover, but just canopy cover. We urge landowners to adhere to the recommended 100' defensible space and consider patchwork fire mitigation methods with time for regrowth, like prescribed fires, over maintaining park-like clearing of the entire understory of your entire property. The Living with Lions Project is in the process of doing a scientific study to better understand these impacts.
In Southern Africa there are some exceptional conservation projects doing excellent work. Born and raised in Africa, and having run conservation projects in Africa, we know how far the Dollars goes in Africa - you can have a significant impact through supporting these projects. We would love to talk to you about your interests and match you with a project that fits your interests. Better still, visit the project personally while on safari and get to know the people and work they are doing. Projects we are involved with include community, education, conservation and science projects. A lot of the work we focus on supporting has the coexistence theme running through it.
Trail cameras are an amazing tool for monitoring wildlife. Here you have a dedicated observer, 24/7, rain or shine, documenting all the animals moving on your property, allowing you to really get to know your wild neighbors. The Living with Lions Trail Camera Project is a great way to get involved - a project that blends citizen science with meaningful scientific data collection. Sponsor a camera on your property and receive quarterly highlights! Contact the All Hands Ecology Trail Camera Project Manager, Kate Remsen, on kremsen@allhandsecology.org for more details or check out the Trail Camera webpage: www.allhandsecology.org/trail-camera-network/
