Logo Die Sachsen News
News / Environment

NABU promotes correct handling of beavers

NABU promotes correct handling of beavers
The Nature Conservation Association in Saxony has compiled information on dealing with beavers. (Symbolic image) / Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
From: DieSachsen News
Beavers create new habitats, but also cause damage to ponds, for example. The German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union is now campaigning for peaceful coexistence.

The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) in Saxony is promoting "peaceful coexistence" between pond owners and beavers. "With over forty years of knowledge, we want to support pond owners and landowners in recognizing conflicts at an early stage and taking appropriate measures," explained NABU head Maria Vlaic.

Many damages can be reduced by technical measures

Many of the damages caused in pond farms can be reduced by early technical or organizational measures, the nature conservation association announced and referred to an information paper. Pond managers and owners are therefore invited to examine the approaches presented and provide feedback from practice.

More from this category

Experience report with solution approaches

NABU has published an experience report with solution approaches on its website. The document describes measures that have proven themselves over decades of practice and have been applied by volunteers from the association itself to reduce damage in pond operations. Conflicts arise in particular when beavers cause dam breaches.

Beavers are important for the habitats of many plant and animal species

The nature conservation association describes beavers as important landscape designers. "With its dams, it dams up water and thus creates ponds, pools, wet banks and small floodplain landscapes. This creates very different habitats from which many plant and animal species benefit." These effects help to mitigate the consequences of climate change such as droughts, low groundwater levels or heavy rainfall.

Last year, a case in eastern Saxony made headlines. Saxony wanted to have two unwelcome beaver families from Upper Lusatia "deported" to France via its state directorate. The application to "remove" the beavers was submitted by a pond owner from Kreba (Görlitz district). However, this met with resistance from conservationists. The Green League in the Free State stopped the planned relocation by means of an urgent application.

The Dresden Administrative Court ruled at the beginning of December that beavers living on the site of a pond farm located in the "Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape" biosphere reserve may not be captured, relocated or even killed. (Ref. 13 L 1108/25).

Copyright 2026, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved

The translations are automated with the help of AI. We look forward to your feedback and your help in improving our multilingual service. Write to us at: language@diesachsen.com.
Sachsen News
Article from

Sachsen News

Sachsen News is responsible for the content itself. The platform's code of conduct applies. The platform checks and treats content in accordance with the legal requirements, in particular the NetzDG.

Social Media