The city of North Vancouver is shocked, SHOCKED to learn that some rascally rodent has been ruining their trees. Apparently no one as suggested that the famously celebrated Olympic Village beavers that live just across the harbour less than 5 miles away might be too blame. Have you never driven more than 5 miles  to have dinner out? They are looking for a local culprit.

Border-dwelling beaver wages battle against North Vancouver trees

A beaver, normally a symbol of Canadian pride and unity, has caused destruction on the border between two municipalities on B.C.’s North Shore.

Linda Lambert said the beaver has been living in Lower MacKay Creek just to the west of Capilano mall for several months, and has been wreaking havoc on trees in the area.

“He’s wandering out of the creek-bed where he lives and attacking these trees, the ones that have been planted by the municipality and the ones that were there naturally,” she said.

Lower MacKay Creek is right on the border between the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver.

It’s not known which district is responsible for dealing with the beaver, and Lambert believes it could be causing delays in creating a long-term plan. 

Oh no! Obviously it’s a classy and well-tended greenbelt. I sure hope that wretched beaver doesn’t ruin the abandoned shopping carts! You better act fast because pretty soon those trees might fall on some of the other trash that is accumulated in the no man’s land between the city and the county. We wouldn’t want that.

The area where the beaver has settled is prone to flooding in the spring, even without a beaver building a dam in the middle of the creek. 

“They are major workers. They don’t stop, ever,” said Lambert. “I guess that’s why they’re our national animal.”

I don’t know. I’m not sure this article conveys enough hyperbolic alarm, are you? I mean sure it describes the sneaky bastard carving up trees in the dark of night like some botanical Hannibal Lector, and it uses plenty of egregious puns like “Toothed Tyrant” but does it really convey the level of threat involved in a totally expected animal doing a totally predictable thing?

I worked yesterday finishing up our grant application, and came across this wonderful quote by Senegalese forestery engineer Baba Dioum to include. I thought it could be very appropriately paired with Suzi Eszterhas wonderful photo. If Worth A Dam had a guiding principal, this would be it.