Use of virtual fencing to implement critical conservation practices

• Riparian area protection, critical habitat protection, and rotational grazing are conservation practices with important ecosystem benefits, but they often require a large amount of physical fencing to implement. • Virtual fencing (VF) technology is effective for protecting small areas of critical habitat from cattle grazing in areas containing highly desirable forage. • VF technology is effective in excluding cattle from riparian areas; therefore, research is needed to understand how VF may benefit other ecosystems. • VF technology may be effective for implementing rotational grazing, and research is needed to understand the management of VF for rotational grazing across a wide range of grazing conditions. • Overall, VF technology has promise for protecting riparian areas and critical habitats from cattle grazing as well as for implementing rotational grazing.