Wildlife group plans removal of fencing in Clover Valley

Friends Aiding Wildlife in Nature (FAWN) will be using the labor of volunteers to remove obsolete fencing for the benefit of wildlife safety and mobility in Clover Valley in Rocklin on Saturdays, Feb. 21 and Feb. 28. Volunteers will work on 400-plus acres of land owned by Jessup University and recently preserved forever in a conservation easement by Placer Land Trust. FAWN's mission is to open corridors for wildlife facing survival challenges in their pursuit of food, water, shelter and mates. Volunteers cut and gather barbed wire, which is then taken to a disposal site for recycling. In 2025, FAWN completed projects on state-managed lands in Auburn and Cool, removing miles of old wire fencing previously used for animal containment and/or dam construction within the Auburn State Recreation Area. FAWN founders hope to expand their work by making presentations in other regions to encourage duplication of its mission. It's estimated there is more than 1 million miles of fencing in the West – much of it obsolete. Human-made obstacles, like fencing, injure and kill thousands of wild animals, according to FAWN Founders Roger and Irene Smith. "This is a huge, under-recognized problem and it causes unnecessary suffering and death to native wildlife," they said. "When we make presentations showing the horrific impacts of fencing to wildlife, the common response is, 'Wow, I didn't know this happened!' " After receiving landowner permission, FAWN works on public and private lands and provides the necessary tools for its volunteers. FAWN is always looking for new volunteers and projects and can be reached by visiting fawn4wildlife.org or by email at fawn4wildlife@gmail.com. New volunteers will be placed on a list and notified of upcoming FAWN projects.