The National Park Service has embraced the idea of taking down the tule elk fence as part of its latest plan.
North Bay tule elk will soon be free to roam free in Tomales Point, as federal officials plan to remove the controversial fence enclosures that have limited the elks’ mobility within the Point Reyes National Seashore.
The removal of the fencing was announced as part of the Tomales Point Area Plan, finalized this week by officials from PRNS, which is maintained by the National Park Service. The fencing has induced criticism by animal-rights watchdogs, as it has prevented the ungulates from reaching vital water sources during times of drought.
The plan also calls for the removal of all temporary water systems installed during the most recent drought. Additionally, the plan includes future opportunities to improve recreational uses and the visitor experience at historic Pierce Ranch, new approaches to preserve and maintain wilderness character in the Phillip Burton Wilderness, and methods to better protect natural and cultural resources.
Under the General Agreement for a government-to-government partnership, PRNS consulted and collaborated with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria throughout this planning process. The park is incorporating the tribe’s views and traditional ecological knowledge into the management of Tomales Point, PRNS officials said in a press release.
Park Superintendent Anne Altman said the plan incorporated feedback from more than 35,000 public comment letters. “The benefit of removing this enclosure is to allow elk to access additional habitat, increase the species’ population resilience during drought, and promote a more natural population cycle,” Altman said in the release.
Tule elk are native fauna to the Point Reyes Peninsula. The species was extirpated from the area by human encroachment by the end of the 19th century but were reintroduced to the region in 1978.
To view the Tomales Point Area Plan, visit go.nps.gov/pore/tpap.
