Managing Beavers in City Parks

May 20, 2025

Managing Beavers in City Parks

Beavers are a natural part of Fernie’s ecosystem—and when they make themselves at home in our parks, they can create challenges for public safety and park health.

Over the past few years, beavers have felled hundreds of trees in parks like Annex Park, Dogwood Park, Maiden Lake, and James White Park. These damaged trees can become hazardous to park users, prompting the City to take proactive and responsive steps to manage both the animals and the impact of their activity.

What We’re Doing

  • Out-of-Season Trapping: Since the provincial trapping season does not cover the busiest times in our parks, the City holds an Out-of-Season Trapping Licence and works with a certified, regulated trapper to selectively remove beavers from high-impact areas.
  • Tree Protection: We’ve installed protective wiring around hundreds of trees in high-use areas and continue to add more based on daily park inspections and resident reports.
  • Tree Assessment: Trees affected by beaver activity are evaluated using our dangerous tree management process. Where possible, we save the tree with mesh or wire. Wildlife habitat value and public safety are both carefully considered in all decisions.
  • Certified Oversight: Certified arborists are involved when tree removal is required, and all work near waterways follows environmental regulations, including seasonal restrictions during nesting periods.

How You Can Help

With over 173 hectares of parks and open space, we can’t be everywhere at once. If you spot a tree damaged by beavers or in need of attention, please let us know by submitting a Request for Service (RFS) through our website. The sooner we know, the better chance we have of saving the tree.

Beavers are part of our natural landscape—but managing their impact helps keep Fernie’s parks safe, beautiful, and enjoyable for everyone.