Electrifying Liard River Hot Springs
History of Conflict Although the source of the springs is natural, the pools were built during the construction of the Alaska Highway during World War II. The location is an extremely remote section of the road and is surrounded by undisturbed wilderness. The geothermal-supported microclimate is vibrant and the valley is extremely productive for black bears and other wildlife. Bears have even been observed to soak in the hot pools themselves. The hot pools are the second largest in Canada and are the only major attraction for hundreds of miles so many travelers on the Alaska Highway stop for a soak or to camp. The combination of concentrated bear population and non-natural attractants made this a heavy conflict zone. Unfortunately, this deadly combination resulted in two human fatalities in 1997. Partially as a result of this history, lethal control was often used as a primary mitigation strategy for human-bear conflict. Construction This site featured challenges beyond most electric fencing projects and was one of the most involved electric fence construction projects completed. A small specialist team was able to solve these issues- proving that electric fencing is a practical solution at even the most challenging sites. Site Size The total fence line was surveyed at 1600 meters. This is a moderately large electric fence in total distance. Adding substantial grounding and breaking the fence into two separately energized sections ensured an effective shock would be delivered at any spot on the fence. Vehicle Access A fence must simultaneously exclude animals while allowing easy human access. The requirement for easy and frequent vehicle access demanded a more user-friendly solution than a simple gate. A custom-designed electrified wildlife guard (similar to a cattle- guard) was designed and installed to allow un-restricted vehicle access while excluding animals. Fence Line Selection The fence was constructed around the perimeter of the park facilities, camping, and day-use areas, with all visitor parking contained within the fence. As the campground was already constructed, there was little room between the camping pads and the wetland area which is the Department of Fisheries designated critical habitat for endemic snails. Precision surveying, fencing preparation, and 31 direction changes along the fence line allowed construction within these constraints. Fence Line Preparation Much of the fence line was located in heavily forested areas. It is important that a fence line is prepared both for construction as well As for ongoing monitoring. Wildlife should have a chance to clearly see a fence through a cleared area rather than bumping into a fence in the midst of heavy forest. We used an industrial mulcher to clear the right-of-way, which also helps in suppressing vegetative regrowth. As the area has had indigenous use, an archaeologist supervised construction and identified a number of culturally modified trees. Visual Impact on park Guests Electric fencing can be intimidating for anyone who is not experienced in dealing with them. The fence was designed to remain visually appealing while also including necessary signage to ensure proper use of the fencing system. The fencing around the picnic site was made out of wood rail material with electric fence outrigging to maintain park aesthetics in the most visible areas of the fence line. News stories from the fatal Liard River Hot Springs bear attacks in 1997 (left) Map of the electric fence erected by Margo Supplies, photo of vehicle drive-over gate and pedestrian gate (right). For More Information on the Liard River Hot Springs project, click the link below:
Using Electric Fencing to Manage Bear Conflict
Bear conflict, in large, is driven by food in Alberta. Margo Supplies Heavy Duty fence is the tool of choice for homeowners, hobby farms, and industry professionals. The Heavy Duty fence is a multi-functional carnivore fence that can be a standalone fence system or can be installed on an existing fence. http://vimeo.com/video/631000796?h=8d541b7de8 Jay Honeyman is a bear conflict biologist with Alberta Environment and Parks. His job is large carnivore conflict mitigation and with that, he often deals with human-bear conflict. Jay explains the nature of these conflicts, and how installing a simple electric fence can protect high-value food sources from bears. From hobby farms to industry professionals, the benefits of electric fencing can be easily understood after speaking with Honeyman. “By reducing conflict and reducing these attractants so that bears aren’t interested in coming onto people’s properties. We’re not having to euthanize bears, we’re not having to relocate bears, we’re not having property damage for the landowner, and we’re not having public safety issues with bears hanging around properties.” – Honeyman, 2021 Electric Fencing is an integral component for managing conflicts with bears, especially when bears are motivated to an area. Once a bear gets a food reward they become quite driven and they will return to the area. Electric fencing breaks this reward cycle and tells the bear that they need to move on. “By removing the food source, it’s a win-win for everyone, and it’s something we should be doing more of”
