Trees beaver-proofed, Dec 13, 2008

Beaver help restore our streams to a more pristine place for all to enjoy. Beavers are intriguing animals. Unfamiliarity about beavers and their role in nature can cause alarm about having these large animals in the neighborhood. There are lots of best management practices for working with beaver.

Newington Forest Residents who walked the trail along South Run saw beaver gnawing lots of trees near the trail and called the Fairfax County Park Authority for help.

Meghan Fellows graciously offered Newington Forest residents and Friends of Accotink Creek an opportunity to help protect trees from our furry friends, the beaver. Meghan Fellows is a Natural Resource Specialist and Invasive Management Coordinator with
Natural Resource Management and Protection, Fairfax County Park Authority
703-324-8586.

Fairfax County Park Authority arranged for tree wrapping to help the beaver be more selective.

Volunteer sign in.

Meghan briefs volunteers about beaver being in the valley for over 20 years and how to wrap trees.

The beaver who chewed on this tree had a big goal.

Storm during the past week broke the beaver dam.

The storm also broke the upper dam near a fair weather crossing.

Lots of trees wrapped in less than an hour.