That’s what’s exhausting about beaver work. It’s one step forward two steps back. It can feel like all our hard work amounts to nothing. At least it feels that way to Doug Knutson, the defender of the Belleville beavers.

You might remember Belleville from their excellent interview on Furbearer Defenders, or the fact

that Doug is a filmmaker at Windswept Studios in Canada, or that they had Skip Lisle out last year for a training in installing flow devices. They were a success story.

Now they’re the other kind of story.

Senseless killing of our national symbol: McCaw

A Belleville councillor calls the city’s killing of beavers that were causing flooding in the city’s east end, as “troublesome.”

At this week’s virtual meeting of city council, Councillor Kelly McCaw was referring to a staff report that indicated four beavers had been removed and euthanized.

McCaw referred to 11 emails the city had received from citizens in the east end, “lobbying for the senseless killing of our national symbol.”

Doug did everything right. Reached out to friends. Got public attention. Earned the support of the city. Brought in Skip Lisle. How could this have gone wrong?

AND IN JUNE???

She added she didn’t blame the staff. “I want them to know I certainly don’t blame them for doing their job. Who I do blame, really, is the Ministry of Natural Resources. I consider them, in my personal opinion, to have not been helpful in any situation pertaining to beavers. From my perspective they’re nothing short of a propaganda arm for organizations like the fur managers. Relocation should be an option for us, but thanks to the ministry of natural resources that isn’t an option, and here we have a couple of beavers that have been euthanized because we have no option.”

Hear that? If we just could have MOVED them we wouldn’t have had to kill them. I don’t blame the murdering staff. I blame the rules.

Dear dear girl, don’t you realize if these beavers were moved new ones would have come? The same thing would have happened all over again. Either you learn to solve the problem or you keep on killing them. It’s that simple.

A report by Manager of Transportation and Operations Joseph Reid notes that staff has been using mitigating measures in the Belle Creek area.

After many calls from residents citing water levels and unmanageable issues, the city retained a Water Resources Engineer who recommended to remove some beavers from Bell Creek.

The city started live trapping May 27. A total of four beavers were live trapped and “dispatched humanely.”

Reid adds, “We believe there are still beavers in the area and will monitor the area. The flooding has been resolved for the time being.”

May, as you know, is not really a time of flooding. Or of beaver building up the dam. Temperatures are in the high 60’s and rainfall is about 3.2 millimeters a month. So not a time to hit the sudden flood.

But hey, about the time to be nice enough outside to do some trapping. And since everyone’s in quarantine, well that’s an added benefit.

Oh you know what else happens around May? Kits are born. But you knew that didn’t you.

Mayor Mitch Panciuk says there was a safety problem with flooding and under provincial rules beavers can only be moved a short distance. McCaw says she will do some research before presenting a motion to lobby the province to allow a longer relocation distance.

Hmm. I’m glad you made such an effort to switch from foot severing traps to drowning traps. That was mighty white of you. I mean if you’re going to kill infants or abort beavers you wouldn’t want them, to feel any pain right?

Poor Doug, and poor everyone who worked hard to get this right. It’s unbelivable the amount of sustained pressure it takes to get success to succeed when it comes to beavers. I told Doug that I knew just how he felt. It was after our beaver triumph that the city secretly decided to put sheetpile thru the lodge. I was horrifying and my heart was nearly broken.

But in retrospect, it was a turning point not a breaking point. In the secrecy of their private meetings the city let slip the dogs of war, and it meant nothing would be off limits ever again. I could push as hard as I knew how and never worry again about appearing unreasonable.

Some background from Doug himself:

[When Skip came out] it was an amazing time – full of hope and promise! The City seemed to have had a Road to Damascus conversion – they seemed genuinely committed to finding alternative measures to manage beavers and wildlife. And they seemed very proud of all the accolades they were receiving over Belleville’s new role as leader in sustainable management. I had the Mayor and City Manager say to my face that there was virtually no chance trapping would happen in Belleville again!!!

But something happened since then. I have been shut out of all communication with the City over the beavers. I was told not to film them working (strange when they were so enthusiastic last year!??). This issue could be this – at the other end of the space where the beavers live(d), is an open space park. We live on this park. It is a beautiful natural space enjoyed bu many and full of wildlife. But the City announced plans to build a massive “destination location” (mayors words) playground – we along with our neighbours fought this tooth and nail! It would be impossible to link these things together but things changed at this time. I used to be the Mayor’s best buddy for the beaver work we did – last time I saw him he just snubbed me!?

Anyway when flooding issues arose this Spring – new dams – Skips BD worked perfectly.- the City said it would remedy the situation. I OFFERED any assistance I could. Skip couldn’t come with Covid lockdown but he was only a call away – and I could refer the vast amount of experience and knowledge available here. However this offer was declined – “we know what we’re doing”. So they put in their “pipe-thing” – I shared pics on this form and it was universally condemned – and sure enough it never worked. Rather than regrouping or asking for help, they seem to have hatched the plot to say “we tried everything” (they did not!) and went right back to trapping!?!

Remember our friend in the filmmaker in Belleville, Ontario who tried to rescue the drowning beaver and was horrified to find out they were being trapped in this day and age? We’ll he and his friends have been hard at work with some pretty great results,

City keeps fatal traps as “last resort”

Beavers in Belleville are not totally safe yet, but they are much closer to being treated humanely in the city than they ever have been.

Belleville city council passed a new policy regarding the trapping of “nuisance animals” Monday night which says lethal trapping should only be used as a “last resort.”

The “Humane Wildlife Conflict Policy” outlines several options to be used prior to lethal conibear killing traps, and stresses the city will “strive to implement proactive and preventative measures” of promoting coexistence and preventing potential conflicts.

The issue of how the city deals with “nuisance animals,” notably beavers, came to the forefront in the summer of 2018 when several East Hill residents rescued a beaver that had been caught in a drowning trap.

Yes we remember it well. Lets hear a little more about what the city is going to do instead?

That kind of trap will no longer be used by the city, which has since installed a Beaver Deceiver – a beaver control device — in the area of Haig Road where the incident occurred.

In any possible situation, the first step will be to identify potential problems and confirm there are “reasonable grounds” that property will be damaged or a threat to the community exists.

Mayor Mitch Panciuk, who praised McCaw for her efforts on this issue, said he was proud of the steps the city has taken to find innovative solutions to a very difficult problem.

“Is this policy perfect? No,” he said. “But today we have no policy. At least under this policy I know we will not be using inhumane traps except as a last resort.

I am not picky. I’ve been following beavers a long, long time, and I know that if any city commits to do ANYTHING first before reaching for trappers – whether its use an egg beater or dressing up for Halloween – any forced delay is actually better than none – and a delay involving an actual flow device or wrapping trees is the BEST of all! Because stopping to think of options and outcomes is ALL I ask for really.

Great work team Belleville. Keep the pressure on and keep your mayor careful. Your beavers will be around to thank you for it!