Students help build anti-elk fence

A buck-and-pole fence protects a group of aspens. Photo provided

There is a new fence in the meadow next to Highway 20 and Black Butte Swamp, protecting an emerging aspen clone (a group of identical interconnected trees).

The Sisters High School Interactive Environmental Expedition class completed this project with Sisters Rangers District's silviculture crew.

The aspen stand is an over-mature decadent clone, according to the Forest Service. The clone is regenerating -- but the elk eat them quickly, not allowing them to grow.

The solution to this problem was to build an elk barrier.

Areas such as this one are very important wildlife habitat and are in decline in the district, according to Nicole Rogers, USFS. The population and concentration of large herbivores such as elk is often higher than the ecosystem has evolved to support.

In areas such as this aspen clone, the hardwoods (aspen) are browsed to the point that reproduction and spread of these species is greatly reduced, Rogers reported.

The students chose to use a buck-and-pole fence to exclude the elk long enough for the aspen to become established. If this is successful, there may be more buck-and-pole fences as part of a district-wide habitat improvement program.

The fence was intentionally constructed close to Highway 20 as a demonstration project.

Last year the class and silviculture crew tried other means such as placing slash around the small aspen to deter the elk from eating them. These efforts were somewhat successful but more effective exclusion was needed.

The students involved in the construction of the fence included: Jordan McCabe, Kalyn Brink, Alex Christensen, Jawan Davis, Mollie Broadbent, Scott Kramer and Corey Rood.

The members of the silviculture crew that worked with the students in the construction and planning of the fence included: Jeremy Fields, Garrett Brink, Nate Goodwin and Brian See.