The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced a new policy this month that recognizes the ecological benefits of beavers. It identifies the rodent’s natural ability to create fire-resistant landscapes and restore wetlands, and encourages a more thoughtful approach to conflict resolution.
“We’re increasingly recognizing beavers for their ecosystem contributions. Beavers can help tamper down fire risk and help promote wildfire resiliency,” Ken Paglia, CDFW, said.
The policy still acknowledges that beaver activity can flood roadways and damage property, but Paglia said landowners with problematic beavers must now try deterrents before resorting to lethal actions. CDFW has low-cost resources online with ideas like wire fences and drainage control.
“The goal is to promote non-lethal and less-than-lethal methods to mitigate conflict when it comes to beavers,” he said.
In some instances, the CDFW may be able to relocate beavers. Paglia said the department has a Beaver Restoration Program team exploring relocation options.
Beavers live throughout the Central Coast in areas like the Salinas River in Atascadero. Audrey Taub is the founder of the San Luis Obispo Beaver Brigade, a local advocacy organization. She said heavy winter rains washed away dams on the Salinas River, but the beavers are starting to rebuild.
“Typically one family will take an area, in our area it’s like a half-mile, and typically there’s one main dam and a series of smaller secondary dams,” Taub said.
Taub’s organization aims to educate community members about the important environmental benefits of local beavers – she talks about their engineering smarts and how their dams help to restore wetlands and improve groundwater supply.
“What the beavers do is slow the water down, so instead of rushing off to Monterey Bay where this empties out, they’ll build a series of dams which slows it down and allows time for the water to seep into our groundwater,” she said.
Taub said the new policy brings California in line with other states like Washington and Utah that support solutions for co-existence.
To learn more go to wildlife.ca.gov.
