The Mule Deer Foundation is getting a major boost for wildlife habitat work in Northeast California.
The organization has been awarded nearly $2.9 million from the California Wildlife Conservation Board to help remove and modify fencing that can create barriers for migrating wildlife across the Modoc Plateau and surrounding areas.
The multi-year project will focus on improving habitat connectivity for mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and elk by removing or converting about 61 miles of existing fencing to wildlife-friendly designs. According to the Mule Deer Foundation, older fence structures can pose entanglement risks and make it more difficult for animals to reach seasonal feeding and wintering grounds.
The project is a partnership between the Mule Deer Foundation, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service. Officials say the work will help reconnect important migration corridors and critical winter habitat while continuing to support local ranching operations that depend on public grazing lands.
Mule Deer Foundation West Coast Conservation Operations Director Randy Morrison says the funding will accelerate efforts to improve habitat conditions and maintain healthy mule deer populations while balancing the needs of working landscapes.
Wildlife Conservation Board Executive Director Jennifer Norris says improving habitat connectivity is an important part of California’s broader conservation strategy, helping wildlife move more freely across the landscape.
Project work is scheduled to take place between 2026 and 2029. The Mule Deer Foundation says it will also pursue additional funding to expand habitat connectivity projects across the California-Oregon border in the future.
