CFN – On Friday, June 29th, City of Ottawa workers destroyed the home of the two famous Stittsville beaver, Lily and Lucky. These are the same beaver that Mayor Watson, after a huge public outcry last year, saved from being being trapped and killed. That the City destroyed their home on the day leading up to the holiday weekend when they knew few would be around to oppose it or get the media involved, shows that they knew it was wrong. There is something sadly ironic that Canada’s national emblem, the beaver, would be attacked on the Canada Day holiday.The City of Ottawa would like to advise homeowners surrounding the stormwater facility in Paul Lindsay Park of its plans to remove the beaver lodge from the facility within the next two weeks.
After careful review and consideration, the City has concluded that the activities of beavers in the stormwater facility interfere with its functioning, creating a risk of flooding to surrounding homes and degrading water quality in the pond and receiving watercourses.
City stormwater and natural systems staff have also concluded that retrofitting of engineered stormwater facilities with “beaver deceivers” or “beaver bafflers” is neither practical nor safe, and that it would not constitute good engineering practice.
The City will soon release its draft Wildlife Strategy for public review and comment, which will include a more detailed evaluation of its beaver-management practices.
The City has refrained from interfering with the beavers in Paul Lindsay Park since they colonized the stormwater facility in late 2011, in order to provide them with an opportunity to relocate on their own in the spring. However, it appears that an abundance of aquatic vegetation in the pond may have provided a sufficient short-term food supply for the beavers to remain.
The City has expended considerable resources conducting twice-weekly inspection and frequent maintenance of the facility, keeping the outlet clear of debris created by the beavers’ activities. Surrounding property owners have continued to contact the City to report damage to trees. In addition to these continuing costs, the increased risk of flooding from blockage during summer storm events requires that the City act to resolve the situation.
The City does not take this action lightly. The city values beavers and wetlands greatly, not only for the many ecosystem functions that they provide, but also for their contributions to biodiversity and for their own sake. Ottawa has the largest rural area of any major city in Canada. Approximately 20 per cent of Ottawa is covered by wetlands, much of which is protected as “provincially significant.”
These wetlands both support and benefit from a thriving beaver population. However, engineered stormwater facilities are not designed to function as wetlands, and they do not provide suitable habitat for beavers. Nor can wetlands and beavers provide the same level of environmental and property protections within urban and suburban environments as do properly engineered and maintained stormwater facilities.
The City anticipates that removal of the lodge from the stormwater facility in Paul Lindsay Park will prompt the beavers to relocate from the stormwater facility to a more appropriate, natural habitat nearby. Any second-year beaver kits (i.e. young beavers) should already have begun the process of dispersal. Any first-year kits (i.e. born this winter) should now be capable of leaving the lodge with their parent. Removal of the lodge will occur late in the day, allowing the beavers to relocate at night, along the same routes they used to reach the stormwater facility. Removal of the lodge will begin by hand to ensure protection of the beavers, and will continue with equipment once any resident beavers have exited the lodge.
With not much happening in their own lives these maggots masquerading as men get the ultimate kick out of killing poor defenceless beavers. Get a life guys!
The massacre continues.
There is an interesting “Letter to the Editor” in the Freeholder regarding beavers. It would appear flow devices can be used minimizing the need for relocation.
Not everyone wants to live on the 10th floor of an apartment building, we should have the choice of where to live.
This spot was to create 3,300 homes, stalled by a couple of beavers, on private land, and had approval to build for something like 7 years prior.
Keep up the good work Mr. Gilcig. Awareness will help us help municipalities see there are alternatives to killing natures engineer’s.
That the city chose to remove and kill the beavers at the beginning of a holiday, in hopes no one was watching, shows that they knew they were being deceitful and lazy. They’ve been unwilling to explore alternatives, which is typical of human engineers. Beaver engineers are very creative, in contrast. The city staff need to think outside the box instead of always doing things the old way.
The City of Ottawa needs to come into the 21st century and recognize that we have to stop destroying everything in our path in order to keep expanding. We have no right to kill these creatures when we have the ability to live in harmony with them. There are so many alternatives to trapping them and destroying their home. Anita makes some excellent points and should be heeded.
Urban sprawl doesn’t have to mean kill all wildlife in our way. And with many experts to consult, and creative options to resolve the issues, why is killing and destroying the beavers’ homes even an option? It’s not necessary. Not even as a last resort.
There are humane alternatives available!!!! Other major cities (Vancouver) and smaller cities (Cornwall and Napanee) have figured it out. Why hasn’t Ottawa? It’s not rocket science, it’s called having a moral conscience!!!
It’s time for municipalities to join the 21st century and choose humane alternatives for dealing with wildlife.
An evolved, responsible and caring authority would do the right thing in honoring our nations symbol.
It should not even have come to the point where the citizens of a nations capital has to plead for the right of life for the animal that is representative of its country.
Please do the right thing here.
I believe that it is the human race that is encroaching on the territory of the surrounding wildlife. We need to learn how to live with said wildlife, rather than killing it off when it suits our purposes. There are humane alternatives to dealing with beavers, such as flow devices and beaver baffles, and we only need to look to other Canadian cities, Cornwall, Napanee and Vancouver, to see that these alternatives actually work. Ottawa City needs to give their head a shake and join the 21st century!
This was a very well done piece!! Frankly, the “City” lost me at “After careful consideration…”
Ummm… NO – no “careful consideration” FOR the safety and well being of the beavers had *any* part there at all – in fact – *anything* that could be used to rid them of “this pestilence” was put into force.
Which is what Ottawa needs to do – RID itself of the “Pestilence that is currently IN OFFICE now” – *then* they can rewrite the mandates to encourage “harmony” with curtailing Urban Sprawl and thus allow *everyone* to live.
OY BULLYS leave the badgers alone, I call you bullys because that is all you are, you are waiting until noone is there, then you are destroying there home over & over again & YOU have killed the dad!! The beaver is meant to be the Canadian Emblem???? Hmmmm im from the UK & my thoughts of Canada now are in the gutters, show some respect for your wildlife & for your emblem~sack,charge & name & shame them responsible for this awful cruel act!!