Painting Trees to Save Beavers

Back in August, the Fargo Park District was looking to find a solution to the beavers gnawing on trees along the Red River.

Their plan of removing the animals was not a favorable choice.

A group of volunteers called the Beaver Backers are using a paint/grit mixture to coat trees.

They say this could be the key to keeping the beavers away from ruining certain trees while leaving them other trees for food and building.

“This is the most humane option because it protects the beavers and the trees at the same time. So it’s a good compromise,” says Beaver Backers organizer Nina Berg.

Volunteers are hoping that this eco–friendly paint called ECOS will deter the beavers.

They believe that beavers do not like this gritty texture.

“If we can protect the trees and still leave some food for the beavers, that’s a win–win all the way around,” says Beaver Backer, Karl Keene.

If the plan does succeed, the Park District will no longer need to resort in culling the animals.

The Beaver Backers had to raise $1,500 for their first painting event.

“The challenges were mostly in finding the funding to make this happen. We did have a lot of very generous people help us out with it but we’re still looking for funds,” says Berg.

The $1,500 covered 22 gallons of paint.

Everything from the bike path over to the Red River at the Trefoil Park could be painted.

Thirteen hundred trees are expected to be painted.

Trees that are marked with a pink ribbon like this however are to be left alone.

“We got approved to do 75 percent of trees over 5 inches of diameter,” says Berg.

Activists are waiting to get more approval to paint other parks in the area.

For more information about future events, visit the Beaver Backers Facebook Page.