Chelan utility steps up beaver-erradication effort
WENATCHEE — The Chelan County Public Utility District wants to get rid of pesky beavers destroying newly planted trees and shrubs in Entiat Park and shoreline vegetation in Walla Walla Point, Confluence and Riverfront parks.
#So, the utility is expanding its contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to trap, remove and destroy beavers.
“The trapping will cease when the vegetation destruction stops,” the statement said.
How far the mighty have fallen. Wenatchee is in the very middle of Washington state, one county over from Snohomish which has had the best beaver management for 20 years. But Wenatchee just paid to plant trees in the park and can’t think of a single thing to do except kill those dam tree-chewers once and for all. Well once anyway. New beavers will be back in the area soon, and they’ll have to wash rinse and repeat. Never mind that they’re an hour north of Yakima and two hours south of Methow, the only option is killing.
“At this time of year, the only alternative is to remove and eliminate the beaver, since relocation wouldn’t be viable during the winter because the beaver would be unable to rebuild their dens,” a written statement released by the utility last week said. “If the beaver remain a problem in the spring, the PUD will work with Okanogan County officials to relocate the beaver in an area where their dam-building could be a beneficial erosion control method in fire-destroyed areas.”
meet it is I set it down, That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain; At least I’m sure it may be so in Washington. Hamlet I:VAnd there you have it, ladies and gentleman. What it looks like when people who know better lie through their smiling lips. We can’t possibly MOVE the beavers because they might starve and freeze in the cold winter. Much kinder to crush them to death now, when their warm and well fed. And no we can’t possibly protect the trees any other way. Why do you ask?
Good news from Jon who saw our own truant beavers building the secondary dam this morning at 5 am. Rusty caught this in Napa a couple days ago. Keep your eye on the bottom third of the video.
Last but not least, a stunning photo from our beaver friend Ann Siegal who has been similarly beaver-deprived in the long winter. I guess three great blue herons will do in a pinch.
Ann Cameron Siegal
