SEEDSKADEE – The Iowa Conservation Corps has been at Seedskadee NWR for more than a week helping on various projects. One of the bigger projects they have worked on is marking the top wires of the boundary fence with sage grouse aversion markers.
Seedskadee officials said research has shown that by marking the wires, especially the top wire, greater sage-grouse collisions with fences can be reduced by almost 90 percent. The grouse can see the fence in low light conditions and avoid the wire.
Half of the job is making the aversion markers and the Iowa crew was in production line mode at the carpenter shop. The markers are cut from a thin strip of vinyl siding with reflective tape placed on both sides. Once they have a large number made, they go out and snap them on the top wires.
Officials said the Iowa Conservation Corps has made garbage cans full of markers and placed them on miles and miles of fence.
“Their efforts will help with greater sage-grouse conservation for years to come,” officials said. “A great organization doing some excellent work.”
