The University of Saskatchewan held an EcoHack on October 4 & 5, 2019. Multidisciplinary student teams worked together to identify viable solutions to problems presented by their community partners. Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation asked students how we might facilitate non-lethal coexistence with beavers in the city. Serafima Raskina and Saiyida Noor Fatima not only accepted the challenge but came up with the winning presentation. They generously agreed to share their ideas on EcoFriendly Sask. The following material has been pulled from their winning presentation.
Problem: Some People Don’t Like Beavers
They chew trees
They build dams
What Is Done About It?
Hunting and trapping
Breaking their dams
Relocation
Scaring them off
Why Do We Even Care?
“Little climate change fighting machines”
Species richness & biodiversity
Adjust groundwater level
Store water for droughts
Eco-Friendly Solutions
Tree wrapping
Grow the trees they prefer
Flowing devices
Place rocks & stones along the trails
But Most People Still Don’t Know That
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| Photo credit: Sean Taylor |
Our Proposal: Beaver Week, April 2020
Children
Education camps
Field trips to beaver dams
Beaver watching in spring
Spread the cuteness of beavers
(Young Naturalists)
Campus Clubs
Wildlife workshops
Lecture on beaver importance
Beaver watching in spring
DIY tree-wrapping
(SENSSA, Parks Canada)
City Council Presentation (depending on approval/availability)
Cost-effectiveness of tree wrapping & flow devices
Training & consultation proposal
Public
Beaver & dam watching
DIY tree-wrapping
Beaver Creek hiking & FREE FOOD
Let us know if you’d like to become involved in Beaver Week and we’ll pass your inquiry on to Serafima and Saiyida.
Further Information
NEW! Beavers: Coexistence Strategies for Municipalities and Landowners (The Fur-Bearers)
10 Surprising Facts About Beavers – And Why They Make Great Neighbours
Living with Beavers
