Xcluder Fence Designs

Some Thirteen Years of Project History

Xcluder® specialise in the design and installation of fences that are both in-situ and scientifically proven to be pest proof: i.e. the designs exclude ALL target pest animals. Xcluder® now has 13 years of project history to show that when maintained appropriately, our fences match our customers needs: they work effectively in the ‘real world’ over long time periods. We maintain an active research programme aimed at understanding key issues in pest animal exclusion, eradication and restoration. Our customers benefit from our continuous improvement philosophy by getting smarter designs and better quality cost effective solutions. When faced with the challenge of excluding a new species, Xcluder’s team thrive on developing and testing novel barriers or fences. Our ongoing research and understanding of animal behaviour and abilities is critical for success.

Xcluder fences have been proven experimentally and/or in the real world to keep out the following animals:

mouse, Indian house shrew, ship rat, Norway rat, kiore, tenrec, mustelids (stoat, ferret, weasel), hedgehog, rabbit, hare, brushtail possum, cat, dog, pig, Indian mongoose, Javan macaque, goat, Mouflon sheep, Javan deer, fallow deer, red deer, white tailed deer, guttural toad and livestock (sheep, goat, cattle, horse). When suitable designs are chosen, Xcluder fences will also exclude: chameleon, badgers, mink, red fox, squirrel, cane toads, snakes and many other terrestrial animals.

Custom Design

In many projects there is a critical element of custom design required to ensure that pest exclusion can be achieved within desired budgets, and we are very open to a range of options for achieving results. While we have several 100% effective designs that are used most commonly, we are able to employ our animal behaviour and construction experience to adapt and evolve to meet the specific needs of our customers. Xcluder ® have a very flexible approach to how fences that we will guarantee can be built and excellent supply lines to a vast range of materials. In many cases, careful material selection will ensure that fence costs are minimised without reducing fence longevity or exclusion effectiveness.

We are always happy to discuss your project. Please contact Xcluder® for further information.

Pest Proof Fence Designs

Xcluder® 'Wairakei' Fence

Xcluder® Wairakei Fence at the International Wairakei Golf Course, Taupo , New Zealand.

This design option maintains the same physical dimensions as our most common design the Xcluder ®“Kiwi” fence but has alternative features.

The 'Kiwi' Fence

Xcluder ® Kiwi Fence at the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, New Zealand.

The basic configuration and dimensions of the Xcluder ®“Kiwi” fence have been proven to be very successful at excluding all target pests. Examples of this design are seen at Orokonui Sanctuary near Dunedin and the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust in the Waikato. The construction of this fence is usually either based on a 2 m high post and wire “farm-fence” framework or on a steel pipe “security-fence” framework.

Xcluder’s® “Kiwi” fence design can be modified or customized to suit the customer to incorporate alternative design features, visual appearances or structures, as long as the following criteria are met:

• The physical dimensions of the design (height, shape, width etc) cannot be varied beyond the known physical abilities of the pest animals to be excluded;
• The materials used on the fence must have been proven to be pest-proof, must be able to be assembled in a pest-proof manner and must meet the required durability and longevity specifications;
• The structural strength of a modified fence must not be compromised in a way that could compromise the pest-proof integrity of the design.

Fence and Product Life Expectancy

Xcluder® provides a warranty on fence workmanship and materials quality. We utilise a range of well-known materials in our fences that have recognised life expectancy and quality specifications.

We have designed the fences so that sections or materials can be replaced without having to completely strip large parts of the fence. In the event that one small section of fence is damaged it can easily be repaired.

At the conclusion of construction our fences are independently inspected for their workmanship and their pest-proof standard. Xcluder® provide maintenance check lists and instructions to allow clients to look after their new asset.

Construction Precision

Construction precision is as important as the fence design and the quality of construction materials when it comes to producing an effective pest-proof fence. There can be no gap wider than 7mm if mice are to be excluded.

To ensure every fence built is completely pest proof, Xcluder® has developed a rigorous quality control programme for our staff and any contractors working on our fence lines. Each fence we construct is built to detailed specifications and is rigorously inspected repeatedly through the period of construction. At the conclusion of construction our fences are independently inspected for their workmanship and their pest-proof standard.Instructions will also be given to clients on how to maintain the fence.This will be supported by an Xcluder® maintenence check list.

Xcluder® Fence Components

For a pest fence to be fully effective and for pest eradication to be achieved the constructed fence must be 100% effective at excluding all target pests around its entire perimeter. Waterways, drains, gates, and abutting fences must all be made pest-proof. Xcluder® have designed, developed and tested several specialised components to accompany its base fence designs:

1. Xcluder® watergates and fish passage:

Xcluder® have developed several pest-proof watergate designs for permanently flowing streams that opens under high or flood flows and closes again when flow returns to normal levels.

Xcluder® culvert screens. Conventional screen (left) and culvert cube (right) to carry larger water volumes and /or deal with channels which carry debris which may block a conventional screen.

2. Xcluder® pedestrian, vehicle and automated gates:

Xcluder® has developed a selection of fail-safe, pest-proof pedestrian and vehicle access gate systems that cannot be left open or ajar by careless operators. The gate systems available range from small pedestrian cages for landowners to large scale public access pedestrian cages, and from manually operated vehicle gates to fully automated double vehicle gate systems for large volume public entrances.

Xcluder® electronic gate designs

3. Electronic surveillance

For larger sites where daily inspection is difficult (e.g. www.maungatrust.org) we recommend Xcluder’s® Remote Electronic Surveillance System. The electronic surveillance provides 24 hour a day reporting of any fence breach (e.g. caused by tree fall) and reports any vehicle, pedestrian or water gate left open. We see remote surveillance as an essential fence integrity monitoring tool, especially where the risk of tree fall is a threat to fence integrity and/or where there are likely to be frequent gate openings (e.g. on auto and maintenance gates). Research, funded by the University of Waikato and Xcluder®, has demonstrated that pest animals are likely to detect and use fence breaches within a relatively short time of the breach occurring (Connolly et al. 2009; Speedy et al. 2008).