Beaver coexistence & wetland science · Across CanadaBeaver coexistence · Across Canada
We work with the beavers,
not against them.
Flood prevention, forage protection and nature-based solutions that keep the water where the beavers need it, and away from the places you can't have it.
- 10+ yrs
As a registered Professional Biologist
- AWP
Authenticating Wetland Professional, Alberta
- 1000+
Trees protected
- 100+
Flow devices installed, and counting
What we do
Our services.
One goal: peaceful cohabitation.
Most beaver problems are either a water-level problem or a tree problem. We fix both, and we do the wetland science underneath.
- 01
Beaver flood preventionPond levellers, fence-and-pipe systems and culvert exclusion fences. The water stays where you need it. The beavers keep their pond. - 02
Beaver forage preventionTree wrapping and our own Touch of Current deterrent. Two ways to save a tree, neither of them involves a trap. - 03
Education & outreachWorkshops, wetland walks and conference talks. Kirby is available as a paid program host and presenter. - 04
Nature-based Solutions (LTPBR)Beaver dam analogues, revegetation and Dam Good Posts. We build what a beaver would build, then let the beavers take over. - 05
Wetland science & professional servicesDelineation, evaluation and authentication under the Alberta Wetland Policy, by an Authenticating Wetland Professional.
Products
Two things we make ourselves.
Both came out of the field, because nothing off the shelf did the job. Available to landowners and other crews. Ask us for pricing and lead times.
Our own design
Touch of Current Critter Deterrent
A floating electric fence system for the water's edge. Keeps beavers off the trees you can't wrap, without keeping them out of the pond.
Peeled, untreated
Dam Good Posts
Hand-peeled untreated posts cut for beaver dam analogues and post-assisted log structures. No chemicals in the creek, ever.
The way she goes
From first call to final check-in.
No surprises. Every step has a name, a date and a person you can call.
- 01
Site visit
We walk the site, find the dam or crossing causing trouble and measure what the water is doing.
- 02
Written plan
Options, costs and trade-offs in plain language.
- 03
Install
Our own crew, our own materials. We test it before we leave.
- 04
Monitor
We come back to check levels and adjust through the seasons.
Beaver Buddies
What the people with the problems say.
“Kirby was professional, organized, and easy to work with throughout the project. His practical, down-to-earth approach to project management and strong understanding of environmental regulations were invaluable. We would not hesitate to work with Kirby and You Betula Environmental again.”
Free 15-minute consult
Got a beaver situation?
Tell us what the beavers have been up to and roughly where. We'll tell you what we'd do about it, and what it would cost, before anyone drives anywhere.
FAQ
Questions we get a lot.
Chewbarka, mid-snack. This is the forage problem, and it is fixable.
Won't the beavers just plug the pipe?
Not if it's built right. The intake sits out in open water, away from the dam, where beavers can't sense the flow. That's the whole trick.
Do you work outside Alberta?
Yes. We work anywhere in Canada. Travel is itemized in the plan, so you can see what a site visit costs before you book one.
Is this cheaper than just removing the dam?
Usually, once you count round two. Pulling a dam out buys a few weeks. The beavers rebuild it, often bigger, and you pay for the backhoe again. A leveller or an exclusion fence goes in once and gets checked on a schedule.
Why don't you just trap or shoot the beavers?
Because it doesn't last. Beavers are drawn to good habitat, so when one is killed a neighbour disperses into the empty territory, and the dam or the felled trees are back sooner than you'd hoped. Unrelated beavers moving in often start a turf war, which means more flooding and more cutting. So we manage the activity instead, with non-lethal installations for flooding and foraging. If safety or animal welfare rules those out, we'll tell you who to call and follow up to make sure the work meets every ethical and legal requirement.