Biber plague in Kleinmachnow: moist cellar and dead trees!

Biber plague in Kleinmachnow: moist cellar and dead trees!

in Kleinmachnow, where wild boars normally cause excitement, it is now the beavers that drive the residents crazy! Five beaver families have settled in the region and cause massive problems: flooded basement, dead trees and damaged streets are the devastating consequences of their activities. The water masses that are thawed through the dams of the rodents have transformed the surroundings into a moist chaos.

The baked, once a lively stream, can only be found in small sections around Kleinmachnow. The beavers have built their kingdom here for over ten years and increased the water levels dangerously with their dams. Local residents complain about moist cellar and flooded meadows, while an alder break forest has already died on six to eight square meters. The Situation is so serious that even streets were affected. Axel Müller, the CEO of the Landschaftsförderverein Buschgraben/Bäketal, reports on the growing complaints of the residents and the need for a beaver forum to find solutions.

strict regulations and little scope for action

But the hands of the residents are bound! There are strict protective regulations in Brandenburg that ensure the survival of the beavers. The animals may only be sold or even killed in exceptional cases. In the past hunting year, 162 beavers were killed in Brandenburg, but that's not enough to solve the problems in Kleinmachnow. The estimated beaver population in Brandenburg is up to 3,700 animals, and they are now widespread on almost all larger waters in the region.

The residents are frustrated because they have to bear the costs of drying their basements themselves. According to the beaver regulation, there is only financial support for prevention measures, but not for repair costs. The discussion in the Biberforum was therefore not only about the problems, but also about living with the animals that have been living in the region for 10,000 years. Müller emphasizes that people contest their habitat for the beavers, but the affected residents are only partially satisfied with this declaration.