Helping landowners manage beaver impacts while restoring the benefits beavers provide to the watershed

Beavers store water, build wetlands, improve drought and fire resilience, and create important fish and wildlife habitat. At the same time, they can flood fields, plug culverts, and cut trees in ways that create costly problems for landowners. BHWC works with landowners to reduce beaver-related damage using practical, non-lethal tools so that beavers can deliver watershed benefits without putting operations at risk.

Tools we use include:

• Tree protection — wrapping vulnerable deciduous trees with sturdy wire

• Pond levelers — controlling water height behind dams to prevent flooding

• Culvert fencing — preventing dam-building in places that cause damage

In addition to site-specific conflict reduction, BHWC is restoring wet meadows in the Moose Creek Highlands using funding from the Broad Reach Foundation to develop suitable habitat where beaver presence would be beneficial and low-risk. In our 2025 letter to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks regarding the statewide Beaver Transplant Program, BHWC identified Moose Creek as a strong candidate for a pilot relocation site.

Why this matters
Non-lethal tools keep working lands functioning and protect infrastructure while allowing the watershed to gain the natural water-storage and habitat benefits beavers create. Preparing appropriate sites in advance also ensures that any future translocations occur in places where they can succeed without creating new problems.

Need help with beaver issues or interested in site preparation?
Contact BHWC — we provide technical assistance and cost-share support when funding allows.

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BHWC Media Feature:

Transplantation of Nuisance Beaver for Climate Resiliency

Are Beavers Montana’s Latest Transplants?