Discrimination of topographic characters involving failure of deer-proof fence in young conifer plantations by using CS 3D-map

Abstract

A total of 78 deer-proof fences installed in the southern part of Tokushima Prefecture were inspected to assess the feasibility of identifying locations prone to structural damage using CS 3D-map. The result indicated a positive association between the duration since installation and the frequency of damage incidents. While minor damages attributable to wildlife interference or anthropogenic factors were commonly observed, damages induced by topographic conditions tended to be more extensive, often exceeding the capacity for on-site repair using available materials. Terrain-induced damages were found to occur predominantly in areas characterized by low R-channel values in the CS 3D-map, corresponding to lower valley walls and valley heads. These findings suggest that, during the planning and design phase of deer fence deployment, avoiding regions represented by dark blue hues in the CS 3D-map could effectively mitigate the risk of terrain-induced damage to deer-proof fences.