The Importance of Wetlands and Beavers
Canadian wetlands are home to over 400 species of animals, plants, and insects. Learn more about wetlands and beavers and the ecosystem services they provide.
Photo credit: Paula Brown
Photo credit: Paula Brown
City of Airdrie Shifts From Killing Beavers to Coexistence
It is always positive to see when another municipality realized the benefits of coexisting with beavers. With such dramatic weather events like flooding and drought conditions, keeping beaver on the landscape has never been more important. In addition to the ecosystem benefits, it also saves tax dollars! Read more...
Open Letter to The City of Ottawa - Setting the Record Straight
October 4th, 2021
Dear Mayor Watson and Councillors
We are writing to express the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre’s extreme frustration in our attempt to work with the City of Ottawa on Beaver issues.
We strongly challenge the recent comments made to residents that our Centre is unwilling to work with the City on these matters.
Our Centre has been working on beaver issues in Ottawa for well over a decade. Our latest attempt, which started in 2018, to work with the City on these concerns has dragged on for 3 years without any progress. At the start, we asked the City to:
After 3 years, none of these criteria have been met. The City indicated that it did not keep records with respect to where staff had to regularly go to clear blockages caused by beaver nor would they provide any information on where beavers were regularly trapped. It is hard to believe that City staff are not expected to account for their time or that records of where trapping occurs are not kept, given that the City must issue a payment to the trapper.
After numerous emails, meetings and much prompting, the City provided a number of sites for a pilot project. However, after spending a great deal of time at each of these sites, it was clear to us that none represented true beaver conflict sites.
We have devoted countless hours to this project in the hope of a positive outcome. Unfortunately, at the end of August, we heard from concerned residents about 2 separate situations where beaver trapping was planned to protect a possible threat to City infrastructure. Why were these sites not mentioned for possible assessment for flow devices? At this point, after 3 years, and no progress, our non-profit organization felt it could simply no longer justify the waste of time and money in trying to work with the City.
The Past:
The City’s reluctance to adopt progressive measures in dealing with Beavers is not new.
More than a decade ago, in 2010, City Council directed staff to develop a Wildlife Strategy that “would facilitate and foster a more harmonious relationship with all wildlife. Council’s direction was motivated not only by general concerns for biodiversity and harmony with nature but by specific issues and complaints arising from the City’s policies and procedures for dealing humanely with individual animals or populations of animals.”
Yet, with respect to beavers, City staff continue to completely ignore that Council direction. For example, in 2011 invoices paid by the City of Ottawa to trappers amounted to $31,823. By 2017 invoices had increased to $45,019 and, by 2018, the trapper billed the City of Ottawa a whopping $156,710.
What’s Happening Elsewhere?
Municipalities across North America are utilizing flow devices because they recognize the cost savings and the environmental value of keeping beavers on the landscape.
Modern flow devices do not represent ground-breaking or new technology. We are not asking the City of Ottawa to be the first, or even the second, third or fourth, just please don’t be last!
Concerns:
We have learned that the City is planning 2 pilot projects in natural areas, and are concerned that again it will be more about optics in reacting to recent public pressure. This was the case with the pilot project the City implemented in 2012, one that our Centre correctly identified was designed to fail.
Even if there is an environmental benefit at these 2 proposed sites, this should not be confused with the original intent of the project involving the Centre. It was intended as a jumping off point to more progressive and cost-effective practices. Flow devices need to be installed at true beaver conflict sites, such as stormwater ponds, where a threat to significant infrastructure is involved and where beavers are continually being trapped. It is also in these areas where City residents are most vocal in opposing the trapping of beaver.
Over the years, our Centre has worked successfully with Public Services and Procurement Canada, National Capital Commission, other NGOs, other municipalities as well as with community stakeholders. We welcome the day we can include the City of Ottawa in this list. When the City of Ottawa is willing to embrace the criteria we outlined above, including the installation of flow devices in true conflict sites, such as stormwater ponds and adjacent creeks, we would be pleased to work with the City.
Donna DuBreuil, President
Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre
Kate MacNeil, Executive Director
Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre
Dear Mayor Watson and Councillors
We are writing to express the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre’s extreme frustration in our attempt to work with the City of Ottawa on Beaver issues.
We strongly challenge the recent comments made to residents that our Centre is unwilling to work with the City on these matters.
Our Centre has been working on beaver issues in Ottawa for well over a decade. Our latest attempt, which started in 2018, to work with the City on these concerns has dragged on for 3 years without any progress. At the start, we asked the City to:
- Establish a Beaver Protocol, as was done in the City of London.
- Identify sites for flow devices.
- Sites must be beaver conflict sites, where beaver have regularly been trapped in the last 2 years due to the risk to City infrastructure.
- Identify the frequency that City staff have had to do maintenance related to beaver conflict at these sites.
After 3 years, none of these criteria have been met. The City indicated that it did not keep records with respect to where staff had to regularly go to clear blockages caused by beaver nor would they provide any information on where beavers were regularly trapped. It is hard to believe that City staff are not expected to account for their time or that records of where trapping occurs are not kept, given that the City must issue a payment to the trapper.
After numerous emails, meetings and much prompting, the City provided a number of sites for a pilot project. However, after spending a great deal of time at each of these sites, it was clear to us that none represented true beaver conflict sites.
We have devoted countless hours to this project in the hope of a positive outcome. Unfortunately, at the end of August, we heard from concerned residents about 2 separate situations where beaver trapping was planned to protect a possible threat to City infrastructure. Why were these sites not mentioned for possible assessment for flow devices? At this point, after 3 years, and no progress, our non-profit organization felt it could simply no longer justify the waste of time and money in trying to work with the City.
The Past:
The City’s reluctance to adopt progressive measures in dealing with Beavers is not new.
More than a decade ago, in 2010, City Council directed staff to develop a Wildlife Strategy that “would facilitate and foster a more harmonious relationship with all wildlife. Council’s direction was motivated not only by general concerns for biodiversity and harmony with nature but by specific issues and complaints arising from the City’s policies and procedures for dealing humanely with individual animals or populations of animals.”
Yet, with respect to beavers, City staff continue to completely ignore that Council direction. For example, in 2011 invoices paid by the City of Ottawa to trappers amounted to $31,823. By 2017 invoices had increased to $45,019 and, by 2018, the trapper billed the City of Ottawa a whopping $156,710.
What’s Happening Elsewhere?
Municipalities across North America are utilizing flow devices because they recognize the cost savings and the environmental value of keeping beavers on the landscape.
- The Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society, in response to agricultural interest, are implementing flow devices on farmlands, recognizing beavers as an important management tool for watershed resiliency and restoration.
- The City of London has been successfully using flow devices, including in stormwater ponds, since 2015 to prevent flooding.
- In Ottawa, the Federal Government, working with our Centre and the community, has developed wildlife-sensitive planning practices on the Carling Campus that include installing flow devices in its stormwater ponds.
Modern flow devices do not represent ground-breaking or new technology. We are not asking the City of Ottawa to be the first, or even the second, third or fourth, just please don’t be last!
Concerns:
We have learned that the City is planning 2 pilot projects in natural areas, and are concerned that again it will be more about optics in reacting to recent public pressure. This was the case with the pilot project the City implemented in 2012, one that our Centre correctly identified was designed to fail.
Even if there is an environmental benefit at these 2 proposed sites, this should not be confused with the original intent of the project involving the Centre. It was intended as a jumping off point to more progressive and cost-effective practices. Flow devices need to be installed at true beaver conflict sites, such as stormwater ponds, where a threat to significant infrastructure is involved and where beavers are continually being trapped. It is also in these areas where City residents are most vocal in opposing the trapping of beaver.
Over the years, our Centre has worked successfully with Public Services and Procurement Canada, National Capital Commission, other NGOs, other municipalities as well as with community stakeholders. We welcome the day we can include the City of Ottawa in this list. When the City of Ottawa is willing to embrace the criteria we outlined above, including the installation of flow devices in true conflict sites, such as stormwater ponds and adjacent creeks, we would be pleased to work with the City.
Donna DuBreuil, President
Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre
Kate MacNeil, Executive Director
Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre
Press Release - City of Ottawa Needs to Stop Trapping Beaver
OTTAWA – Sept 27th, 2021
The Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre is calling on the City of Ottawa to finally put in place progressive practices to coexist with beavers.
The Centre has been working on this issue for many years. More than a decade ago, City Council directed staff to develop a Wildlife Strategy that “would facilitate and foster a more harmonious relationship with all wildlife. Council’s direction was motivated not only by general concerns for biodiversity and harmony with nature but by specific issues and complaints arising from the City’s policies and procedures for dealing humanely with individual animals or populations of animals.”
Yet, with respect to beavers, City staff continue to completely ignore that Council direction. For example, in 2011 invoices paid by the City of Ottawa to trappers amounted to $31,823. By 2017 invoices had increased to $45,019 and, by 2018, the trapper billed the City of Ottawa a whopping $156,710.
“Residents across the City are increasingly angry and vocal about the inappropriate ways the City is dealing with beavers”, said Kate MacNeil, Executive Director of the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre. In the last few weeks alone, there are two communities expressing real frustration in the media and through a Petition that has garnered close to 20,000 signatures about the City’s regressive practices.
In Ottawa South, CTV and CBC covered the story https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/lester-the-beaver-must-move-as-dam-causes-concerns-in-ottawa-s-south-end-1.5562866 https://www.change.org/p/ottawa-save-lester-the-beaver and in Stittsville https://stittsvillecentral.ca/the-stittsville-wetlands-beaver-family-may-not-survive-if-moved/
People have an increased understanding of the importance of beavers as a keystone species to the health of our environment:
Stormwater Ponds in our communities provide for passive recreation for residents and the opportunity to observe and learn about beavers. People are appalled that these beavers are being killed in conibear traps – sometimes suffering for minutes while they struggle and drown. Kill traps also pose a real risk to pets and children using these recreational areas.
Beavers are not being relocated as the City of Ottawa has stated. They are being killed. Public funds should never be used for unethical practices that the City has to hide and lie about.
The Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre is calling on the City of Ottawa to finally put in place progressive practices to coexist with beavers.
The Centre has been working on this issue for many years. More than a decade ago, City Council directed staff to develop a Wildlife Strategy that “would facilitate and foster a more harmonious relationship with all wildlife. Council’s direction was motivated not only by general concerns for biodiversity and harmony with nature but by specific issues and complaints arising from the City’s policies and procedures for dealing humanely with individual animals or populations of animals.”
Yet, with respect to beavers, City staff continue to completely ignore that Council direction. For example, in 2011 invoices paid by the City of Ottawa to trappers amounted to $31,823. By 2017 invoices had increased to $45,019 and, by 2018, the trapper billed the City of Ottawa a whopping $156,710.
“Residents across the City are increasingly angry and vocal about the inappropriate ways the City is dealing with beavers”, said Kate MacNeil, Executive Director of the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre. In the last few weeks alone, there are two communities expressing real frustration in the media and through a Petition that has garnered close to 20,000 signatures about the City’s regressive practices.
In Ottawa South, CTV and CBC covered the story https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/lester-the-beaver-must-move-as-dam-causes-concerns-in-ottawa-s-south-end-1.5562866 https://www.change.org/p/ottawa-save-lester-the-beaver and in Stittsville https://stittsvillecentral.ca/the-stittsville-wetlands-beaver-family-may-not-survive-if-moved/
People have an increased understanding of the importance of beavers as a keystone species to the health of our environment:
- Dams regulate water flows that prevent flooding and reduce bank erosion
- During times of drought they maintain surface water flow, helping surrounding vegetation and recharging groundwater up to 2 kms away
- Replenish our drinking water aquifers
- Improve water quality, taking up bacteria, pollutants, toxins such as nitrogen and heavy metals
- Store carbon in plants and soil
- Increase biodiversity
Stormwater Ponds in our communities provide for passive recreation for residents and the opportunity to observe and learn about beavers. People are appalled that these beavers are being killed in conibear traps – sometimes suffering for minutes while they struggle and drown. Kill traps also pose a real risk to pets and children using these recreational areas.
Beavers are not being relocated as the City of Ottawa has stated. They are being killed. Public funds should never be used for unethical practices that the City has to hide and lie about.
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Cities across North America, like London Ontario, are using progressive conflict-prevention practices such as flow devices to keep beavers and their essential environmental services on the landscape.
So why is Ottawa continuing the outdated, costly, environmentally destructive, and inhumane practice of killing beavers? “As they say, follow the money”, said Donna DuBreuil, President of the Centre. The cost of the trapper is a very small portion of the overall beaver management cost. The real cost to taxpayers is buried in Ottawa’s Municipal Drainage, Road and Stormwater budgets. It involves continual inspection and the frequent cleaning of culverts and ditches using City equipment and manpower. It is the protection of this unnecessary work that is often behind the resistance to adopt cost-effective prevention measures. “With the City ‘appropriating’ an ever-increasing number of natural creeks, ponds and wetlands for stormwater purposes to serve development, Ottawa must make the minor adjustments to work with nature and not against it. Beaver trapping must stop”, said DuBreuil. |
The London, Ontario stormwater pond, named Hyde Park, use flow devices to keep beavers in the pond so their ecosystem services can be utilized, flooding is prevented and the public can enjoy them.
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