Don’t kill beavers for building dams, B.C. activists tell Park Canada

PENDER ISLAND, B.C. – A battle over beavers is brewing on South Pender Island, B.C., where residents are vowing to save the animals from euthanasia.

The beavers have been building their own dams in Greenburn Lake, threatening an earthen dam constructed on part of the Gulf Island National Park Reserve, an area administered by Parks Canada.

Wendy Scholefield, a trustee with the Islands Trust, a body that protects the area, says Parks Canada put up a notice by the lake last week saying the beavers would be trapped and killed on Monday.

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Scholefield says she and the other trustee for the area were also emailed about the plan, adding Parks Canada announced it without the public consultation that had been promised.

She says residents were set to stage a protest on Monday but Parks Canada put the plan on hold until the end of the week.

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Nathan Cardinal, Parks Canada’s acting superintendent for the reserve, was not available for comment.