Beavers under fire – bureaucratic schizophrenia

Beavers – animals that were hunted for centuries – are now legally protected, but only on paper. On one hand, they are recognized as ecosystem engineers; on the other, they are fought against by public administration with a determination worthy of combating an invasive species. Millions of zlotys are spent on destroying beaver dams and culling these animals – while at the same time, the state pays farmers enormous compensation for losses caused by drought. This is not just a paradox – it is a classic case of bureaucratic schizophrenia, where the solution to a problem is fought against, and then its consequences are generously financed.

What ecosystem services do beavers provide? dr. Andrzej Czech explains:

“There are plenty! Beavers build dams and slow down water flow. Thanks to this, they stabilize groundwater levels, help reduce the risk of droughts and floods. More water also means lower risk of fires and cooling of water bodies. On a national scale, this accounts for as much as 200 million cubic meters of water in crucial locations – tiny streams and brooks. They protect water where rain falls and where both drought and floods begin. They also preserve and create wetlands – hypervaluable ecosystems that capture carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.”

So in theory, they are our allies in the fight against increasing drought. But only in theory. In practice, public administration consistently implements a policy of beaver extermination – culling approved by the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection (RDOŚ), dismantling dams, and ridiculously low compensation for damages caused by beavers result in actions that, in the long run, can only worsen problems with water availability – not just for nature, but above all, for us.

The value of a beaver dam is more than just the cost of its destruction

Every year, 3–4 million zlotys – that’s how much Wody Polskie spends on removing beaver dams. The official reason? Protection of infrastructure and flood safety. Sounds reasonable? Up until you look at it from a different perspective.

Here’s a figure that casts a different light on these actions – 1 billion zlotys. To be precise, 1.0068 billion zlotys – that’s how much the state (through the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture, ARiMR) paid to farmers in 2023 as compensation for drought and other weather phenomena. Yes, you read that right. A billion zlotys for the consequences of a problem that the administration itself exacerbates – by first spending millions on destroying natural water retention systems.

And another detail – 43,500 zlotys. That’s the amount, according to the General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDOŚ), that was paid in compensation for damages caused by beavers in the same year. A sum so low that it gets lost somewhere between the cost of office paper for government printers and toilet paper.

The state fights against one of the most effective natural water retention systems – then pays billions for the consequences of their absence. Where is the logic in this? Or perhaps… is there something else behind it?

555 beavers to be culled – economy, ecosystem, or sheer absurdity?

555 – this number has appeared in the media quite often in recent weeks. We asked at the source – the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection (RDOŚ) in Rzeszów – what exactly it means. Their response:

“The magical number 555 is the sum of annual limits for three years of the regulation concerning permits for actions prohibited in relation to the European beaver.”

Simply put – in the next three years, in just one region, 555 beavers will be deliberately killed. And that’s only in Podkarpacie – other provinces are no better off.

So we ask another question – are there any ecological arguments for culling beavers? RDOŚ in Rzeszów responds:

“As RDOŚ, we have no reason or need to limit the population of the European beaver. Such a need arises from economic and social conditions.”

Does it sound like a paradox? Because it is. There are no ecological reasons for culling beavers – yet permits are issued. What are these economic and social conditions? Looking at the numbers – the economy has nothing to do with it. Beaver dams increase water retention and help combat drought – yet millions are spent on their destruction, only for billions to be paid later to farmers for water shortages.

Social aversion? Yes – but not because beavers actually cause massive damage. Farmers simply have no incentive to welcome such guests. If they can claim compensation for drought-related losses, why allow beavers to flood fields and reduce those losses? Why care about natural retention if the payment system works in a way that makes its absence more profitable?

Defending beavers? easier than it seems

Because they are not the problem – the system that allows their extermination is. In the grand scheme of ecosystems, they are among our greatest allies in fighting drought. Legally – as long as beavers stay within Natura 2000 areas, they are safe. If they step out – they can be killed.

Should we view their activity more broadly than just through the lens of damages? Absolutely. Farmers and other stakeholders should receive real compensation for their losses – but not for the consequences of drought where it could be avoided. Because rivers, streams, and wetlands do not recognize administrative boundaries. Their continuity is essential for the health of the ecosystem – and therefore for us.

If beavers had lobbyists… who will stand up for them?

How does the current beaver population management policy affect water management – particularly in the context of climate change and the growing problem of water shortages? We asked Dr. Andrzej Czech for a comment.

“We don’t have a beaver population management policy at all. Every institution dealing with beavers or their constructions – Wody Polskie, regional directorates for environmental protection, State Forests, etc. – acts without coordination and without considering the role of beavers in mitigating climate change and water issues. For each of them, beavers are just a problem – an unpredictable element of the environment. In other words, a nuisance. It’s so stupid that I don’t even want to comment on it.”

The problem is not the beavers – it’s the lack of strategy. While many countries analyze the impact of these animals on water storage and climate adaptation – in Poland, they are still treated as pests. No one calculates how much their activity saves on water retention, drought prevention, or ecosystem health improvement. Instead, the state spends millions on removing them – only to later spend billions mitigating the effects of their absence.

Has the value of ecosystem services provided by beavers been estimated in Poland?

“No, but an independent, non-governmental initiative is emerging that will assess the value of services provided by beavers. I can’t say more for now, but something interesting is in the works,” reveals Dr. Czech, who is behind the initiative.

Meanwhile, research and examples from around the world have long proven that beaver dams increase water retention, improve the quality of aquatic ecosystems and water-dependent habitats, and reduce the risk of droughts and floods. In the U.S., their activity has been valued at hundreds of millions of dollars annually. In Scotland, studies have shown that beavers restore biodiversity and reduce soil erosion. In the Czech Republic, these animals saved millions by completing an administration-planned project in a single night.

And in Poland? In Poland, we are still waiting for someone to calculate what is more cost-effective – beavers or their extermination.

P.S. No one needs convincing about how crucial water education is – not only for adults but especially for children. For those eager to explore nature’s secrets, we have prepared a book that will soon hit the market. Why do beavers build dams? is a publication that explains in an accessible way why these industrious rodents are so important to our ecosystems.