Living alongside wolves and beavers? Free protection measures for farms in Warmia and Masuria

The Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Olsztyn is beginning the implementation of an ambitious project aimed at supporting farm owners and breeders whose activities are threatened by the presence of wolves and beavers. The new initiative is intended to reconcile economic interests with the needs of natural ecosystems.

One million zlotys for farm protection measures

The project initiated by the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Olsztyn will be carried out until 2027 and has a budget of 1 million PLN. The funds come from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management and will be allocated to the purchase of technical protection measures and activities aimed at minimizing pressure from wild populations of beavers and wolves.

The assistance will be provided within three packages:

1. protection measures for farms against wolves – 60 sets of electric fencing and fladry have been prepared to secure approximately 400 hectares of pastures;
2. floodplain control, including the installation of 20 overflow devices with baskets that reduce water levels in beaver wetlands without destroying dams;
3. interventions involving the capture and relocation of 10 beaver families from the most conflict-prone areas.

How to apply for free assistance?

The initiative of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Olsztyn is addressed to private individuals who have either already suffered due to the proximity of wolves or beavers, or who conduct activities in areas with a very high risk of conflict. The criteria for granting support will be the urgency and high priority of the proposed interventions.

The basis for applying for assistance is completing the application form available on the RDOŚ website. Applicants have the right to choose their preferred form of support, but only individuals holding a valid permit may apply for the relocation of beavers.

Documents may be submitted by traditional mail or electronically via the e-Delivery system.

Is harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife possible?

Representatives of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Olsztyn emphasize that wolves and beavers are an important part of natural ecosystems and that their presence in the environment is highly desirable. Wolves, as apex predators, play a regulatory role by limiting populations of ungulates and thereby minimizing the damage they cause. Beavers, as we have repeatedly written in Water Matters, are responsible for retaining water in the landscape – their wetlands protect against droughts and floods while also creating valuable habitats for many species of birds, amphibians, and fish.

Let us recall that the open letter published in our pages by naturalists from the Bieszczady Mountains included a call for the implementation of effective and Europe-tested methods of preventing conflicts with wolves, including the installation of electric fencing and fladry, as well as the use of guard dogs.

The mitigation of conflicts between humans and beavers and wolves was also discussed at last year’s conference at the District Office in Częstochowa, attended by representatives of the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Katowice, as well as at a conference organized by the University of Gdańsk in cooperation with the General Directorate of State Forests. Initiatives such as these inspire optimism and demonstrate that there is room in Poland for rational discussion and the implementation of solutions that reconcile the interests of people and nature.

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main photo: Buntysmum/Pixabay