N.B. moose fencing pleases victim's father

A father whose daughter died when her car hit a moose in 1999 has applauded the New Brunswick government's latest plan to add 104 kilometres of wildlife fencing along Highway 1.

Reid MacPherson's daughter Angie, 23,died when her car struck the animalnear Belledune in northern New Brunswick.

Since theaccident, MacPherson said he has been closely watching the commitment of Premier Shawn Graham's government to make the province's highways safer.

Earlier this week Graham announced plans formore wildlife fencing along Highway 1, which extends along southern New Brunswick.

MacPherson said he has noticed a big difference in highway safety since the fences went up around the province.

"I have noticed a great difference, I've actually seen moose behind the fence," MacPherson said.

However, he said he observed times this winter where trees had fallenacross the fencing and that could allow animals to bypass the obstacles and get in the way of oncoming traffic.

"I think they don't have a good enough program having someone to go out and check the fencing to see if they are up or down. I think that's something they are going to have to improve," MacPherson said.

More than 300 vehicles strikemoose every year in New Brunswick.

According to the Transportation Department, 85 per cent of those collisions happen between May and October, as the massive animals leave the forests to get away from pests and the heat, and to eat roadside vegetation. The departmentfences areas that have had more than 15 collisions involving a moose over a five-year period.

In the 2006 election, the Liberals promised to erect 300 kilometres of wildlife fencing in areas prone to moose collisions.

Transportation Minister Denis Landry said in his budget speech in January that the province has actually put up 324 kilometres of wildlife fencing.