Henry Coe Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program Project
The Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program responds to the threat feral swine pose to American agriculture, landscapes and human and livestock health.
Project Area
The area of coverage is the entirety of Henry Coe State as occurring in Santa Clara County (~88,700 acres). Private land included another approximately 26,300 acres for a total project area of about 115,000 acres. The majority of the project area consists of rugged topography and the predominant private land use is grazing for livestock and game production.
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Anticipated Partner Activities
The partner would collaborate closely with Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) project area staff, local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field offices, and other partners such as ag producer groups, farm advisors, and Non-Government Organizations to affect the target outcome of swine eradication. Most critically, providing support for APHIS consistent field monitoring, trap baiting procedures, and coordinated data management with APHIS as the lead agency. In addition, the partner would be responsible for training landowners and conducting educational events regarding the benefits of their engagement in implementing the project, including opportunities for restoration work on private lands through Farm Bill programs. This approach maximizes ag producer engagement through familiar mechanisms.
APHIS will be considered the subject matter experts for implementing feral swine removal and damage reduction activities. Partners will need to collaborate with APHIS personnel when removal activities are requested by participating landowners. All projects will be a collaborative and coordinated effort between the selected partner, NRCS, and APHIS. It is required that APHIS maintains operational control of feral swine management activities.
Monitoring/Evaluation Requirements of Partner
For this project, partners are expected to monitor project progress both before and after feral swine removal.
Partners are required to collect standardized information for trapping operations in accordance with APHIS procedures. Examples of data collected include trap location, number of pigs trapped, location of nearby resources, etc.
Training Expectations
Education will be essential aspects of the project to ensure landowners are educated on the need for removing feral swine, approved techniques, and methods for controlling feral swine populations. Partners are expected to assist with training and educational activities.