How to make your property uninviting

  • plant trees and vegetation that beavers don’t like, such as elderberry, ninebark and twinberry
  • wrap individual trees in metre-high, galvanized welded wire fencing, hardware cloth or multiple layers of chicken wire
  • paint tree trunks with a sand and paint mix (120 millilitres of masonry-grade sand per litre of latex paint) to protect trees from beaver damage
  • protect large areas by installing 1.5-metre high field fencing and keep the bottom of the fence flush to the ground to prevent beavers from entering underneath
  • protect areas along river and stream banks with electric fencing

How to remove beaver dams

Destroying a dam should only be considered after other techniques have been tried.

If dam removal is necessary:

  • exercise extreme caution to prevent downstream flooding, damage to natural habitats and property damage
  • check with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to avoid causing serious harm to fish and fish habitat by following best practices
  • you may be held liable for any property damage that occurs downstream

How to prevent flooding

Contact your local Ministry of Northern Development, Miles, Natural Resources and Forestry office for advice on a variety of techniques to control the level of water behind a dam.

Lethal action

  • as a last resort, a farmer may humanely kill or trap beavers that are damaging or about to damage their farm property
  • if you are using a firearm, you must follow certain regulations and local bylaws
  • a landowner may hire an agent, including a trapper, to act on their behalf.