For about one in every eight inquiries we get at HBCF, instead of reporting a ‘beaver problem’ someone says:
“I don’t have beavers but I want them! What can I do?”
Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that beavers find their way to a certain property (and relocation is not permitted in our region), but here are some things landowners can do:
- Beavers prefer low gradient, small streams but will also inhabit farm ponds and other bodies of water. If you have observed damming activity in the past but each severe storm blows out the dam, beavers will likely move on to find a habitat where they have more control over the water level. While beavers can remain for many years in a very good quality habitat, it is important to keep in mind that they also move around the landscape for reasons we don’t always understand.
- Try to get a sense of where the nearest beaver populations are to you. This will help you understand how likely it is that dispersing beavers might eventually find your property. Another factor to consider is how connected existing populations are via waterways and what barriers (like busy roads) might make it more challenging for beavers to travel around.
- Use apps like iNaturalist and Castor Mapper to explore nearby beaver activity.
- Talk to your neighbors to see if any of them have observed beaver activity. If so, learn about how they responded to it. For example, if your neighbors are regularly trapping beavers, can you share resources about coexistence?
- Avoid mowing near the water’s edge and leave a buffer area between the water and trails or other areas frequented by people.
- Leave old, abandoned dams and lodges in place.
- Let woody debris naturally pile up in the form of log jams. This can help to start the process of slowing the water down and may eventually attract a beaver to the area.
- Make sure there are abundant native plants that beavers like to eat. If not, plant some! Willow stakes are a great place to start. Beavers also like beech, maple, birch, alder, poplar, oak, and more. Research what native species beavers prefer in your local area.
- Let plants grow on the surface of the water, as beavers like to eat multiple species of aquatic vegetation.
- Learn about BDAs (beaver dam analogs). Although these projects are a little more complex and usually require permitting, they are still a low-tech, nature-based strategy for mimicking the effects of beavers on a stream until they (hopefully!) come along and take over the work themselves.
- Be patient. Try as we might, we cannot always predict the behaviors or influence the lives of wild animals.
Best of luck, and thank you for your willingness to coexist with beavers!
Here is a shareable, PDF version of the above information: