Fencing Grants for Food Producers

(Project Complete)

Have you seen what happens when a hyper-hungry bear destroy a ready-to-harvest apple tree, or excavates a bed of carrots?  A sad sight, indeed!  To have sustainable, regenerative agriculture, we need to keep bears out of harm’s way, meaning keeping them from becoming FOOD CONDITIONED–out of veggie gardens, orchards, and trash.

In 2020, 45 bears were killed in the Chilkat Valley in DLP (Defense of Life and Property).  Wow!  during 2021 and early 2022, the Chilkat Valley Historical Society teamed with the Rasmuson Foundation to help Chilkat Valley food producers, large and small, fund new, properly designed electric fencing to protect and enhance local food production.

We called the project the Secure Agriculture and Wildlife Project (SAWP)–“Fencing Grant Project” for short.  The project funded as many well designed fences as possible and help the Haines area establish design criteria for electric fencing that meets the joint recommendations of ADF&G and the Takshanuk Watershed Council (TWC).

Funding the Fencing Grant Project

Sue Chasen, our Board President, made a personal starter-gift of $2,500.  The Rasmuson Foundation contributed a grant of $12,000 more.  The project had a significant media budget and, when all the spending was done, we had passed on the Rasmuson gift to two local suppliers of electric fencing materials and equipment:  Haines Home Building Supply and Lutak Lumber.

The Chilkat Valley Historical Society issued 26 local “Fencing Vouchers” to Haines and Klukwan growers who, on average, received gifts of just over $400 each.  All fences were required to meet the recommendations issues by the Tashanuk Watershed Council and ADF&G.

Thank you, Rasmuson Foundation and thank you Chilkat Valley food producers!