I’ve recently been asked about how to protect trees from beavers. I’ve asked around my peer group and I’m hoping to get some additional responses from the community. Beavers are very persistent and adaptable; once they’ve chosen a property, they will continue to move in despite deterrents. If areas of your property (like driveway, septic, landscaping) are not susceptible to damage, it might be best to simply enjoy watching the beavers work, since they will leave in a few years after their food source depletes. Here are some factors for you to consider if you have noticed some furry new neighbours.
Beavers love to eat aspen, birch, willow, and other deciduous trees, though they usually leave oaks and maples until the last. They avoid eating coniferous trees, BUT they may girdle (i.e., chew a ring around the trunk) and kill them in order to encourage the growth of preferred trees--remember, poplars are often the first trees to spring up, and they grow quickly. Beavers may also use conifers for building materials.
Methods for discouraging beavers include wrapping vulnerable tree trunks with mesh, building fences (since beavers are not great climbers), and painting tree trunks with a mixture of exterior latex paint and course mason’s sand (beavers don’t like the abrasive texture). It has been reported that removing/replacing beavers is often ineffective, since another family of beavers may take up residence at the site soon after. Let me know if you have other ideas.
