United States Department of Agriculture 382-CPS-1

NRCS, NHCP

July 2021

NRCS reviews and periodically updates conservation practice standards. To obtain the current 

version of this standard, contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service State office or 

visit the Field Office Technical Guide online by going to the NRCS website at 

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ and type FOTG in the search field. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Natural Resources Conservation Service 

CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD 

FENCE 

CODE 382 

(ft)

DEFINITION 

 A constructed barrier to animals or people. 

PURPOSE 

This practice is used to accomplish the following purpose: 

• Provide a means to control the movement of animals, people, and vehicles to accomplish specific

conservation objectives.

CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES 

Apply this practice on any area where management of animal or human movement is needed. 

CRITERIA 

General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes 

Plan, design, and construct this practice to comply with all Federal, State, and local regulations. The

landowner must obtain all necessary permissions from regulatory agencies or document that no permits

are required. The landowner and/or contractor is responsible for locating all buried utilities in the project

area, including drainage tile and other structural measures.

Ensure all fencing materials installed are durable and of high quality, and the type and design of the fence

installed meets the management objectives and site challenges. Use permanent, portable, or temporary

fences based on management objectives. 

Position fences to facilitate changes in management strategies, access requirements, or otherwise meet

conservation objectives. The fence design and installation must include height, size, spacing, type of

materials, and location of features such as gates and cattle guards. 

The fence design and materials must have a life expectancy appropriate for the management system and

resource objectives. Base the durability of materials in the design and location of fences on topography,

environment, purpose, and management objectives. Specialized bracing, designs, and materials may be

necessary to cross features such as gullies, canyons, and streams. 

Design, locate, and install fences to minimize impacts on local wildlife as appropriate. 

Provide for proper disposal of materials when fence construction requires the removal of existing fencing

materials to prevent harm to animals, people, or equipment. 

CONSIDERATIONS 

Consider soil properties, soil moisture conditions, and erosion concerns. 
Consider livestock management and adaptive grazing strategies, trailing, access to water facilities, and

wildlife deterrence or passage. 

Consider animal and human safety concerns by enhancing visibility of fences through design materials,

fence markers, signage or fladry systems (line of rope mounted along the top of a fence, from which are

suspended strips of fabric or colored flags that will flap in a breeze). 

Consider using natural barriers where appropriate and design and locate fences to ease access for

construction, maintenance, and landscape aesthetics. 

Establish cleared rights-of-way to facilitate fence construction and maintenance where applicable. Avoid

clearing of vegetation during the nesting and brood rearing seasons for migratory and ground nesting

birds. 

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS 

Prepare plans and specifications that describe the requirements for applying the practice according to the

requirements of this standard. As a minimum, include—

• Plan view or map showing layout of fence and location of gates. 

• Details for fence installation showing post spacing, bracing, and gate installation. 

• Material quantities and requirements. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 

Regular inspection of permanent, temporary, and portable fences is a part of an ongoing maintenance

program that ensures proper function of the fence for the lifespan of the practice. As a minimum, include

the folowing in the operation and maintenance plan: 

• Conduct inspections of fences after storms and other disturbance events 

• Repair or replacement of loose or broken material, gates, and other forms of ingress and egress 

• Removal of trees and limbs 

• Repair or replacement of water gaps as necessary 

• Repair of eroded areas as necessary 

• Repair or replacement of markers or other safety and control features as required 

• Maintain fladry or signage as necessary 

REFERENCES 

Bell, H.M. 1973. Rangeland Management for Livestock Production. University of Oklahoma Press.

Norman, OK. 

Heady, H.F. and R.D. Child. 2002. Rangeland Ecology and Management, Third Edition. Routledge, NY. 

Holechek, J.L., R.D. Pieper, and C.H. Herbel. 2001. Range Management: Principles and Practices.

Prentice Hall, NJ. 

Jakes, A.F., P.F. Jones, L.C. Paige, R.G. Seidler, M.P. Juijser. 2018. A Fence Runs Through It: A Call for

Greater Attention to the Influence of Fences on Wildlife and Ecosystems. Biological Conservation, vol.

227, pp. 310–318. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2018.09.026. 

Paige, C. 2012. A Landowner’s Guide to Fences and Wildlife: Practical Tips to Make Your Fences Wildlife

Friendly. Wyoming Land Trust. Pinedale, WY. 

Sherry, J. 2020. IB: 20-10-A. Installing Turbo Fladry: An Informal Guide, Issue Brief. The Natural

Resources Defense Council, NY. 

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Stoddard, L.A., A.D. Smith, and T.W. Box. 1975. Range Management. McGraw-Hill Book Company. 

USDA NRCS. 2003. National Range and Pasture Handbook (Title 190). Washington, D.C.

https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/

USDA NRCS. 2005. Electric Fencing for Serious Graziers. Columbia, MO. 

United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management and United States Department of

Agriculture, Forest Service. 1988. Fences. Missoula Technology and Development Center. 

Vallentine, J.F. 1989. Range Development and Improvement, Third Edition. Brigham Young University

Press. Provo, UT. 

Worley, J.W. 2015. Fences for the Farm, Circular 774. University of Georgia Extension. Athens, GA.

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July 2021