Beaver or peasant fright? Green demands clear facts instead of alarmism!

Beaver or peasant fright? Green demands clear facts instead of alarmism!

In the current debate about the beaver population in Upper Austria, the Green Welsland spokesman Ralph Schallmeiner speaks. Together with the climate and environmental councilor Thomas Rammerstorfer, he deals with the statements of ÖVP National Councilor Klaus Lindinger, who sees a growing beaver population as a threat to agriculture, flood protection and infrastructure. Lindinger demands stricter regulation, including the shooting of the animals. Schallmeiner, however, mentions that despite an increase in the beaver number there is no emergency, since the animals are inhibited in saturated areas in their growth.

"The beavers are territorial and their growth commutes to other bivers in areas with sufficient pressure from other beavers," explains Schallmeiner. He emphasizes that there are support from the state of Upper Austria for farmers and municipalities, among other things through compensation payments for agricultural areas with beaver influence. The nature conservation department, led by Manfred Haimbuchner (ÖVP).

The role of beavers in nature

Rammerstorfer also takes a stand and emphasizes that the often criticized animal species creates ecological benefits. Biber create wetlands and contribute to improving water storage, which is of crucial importance in times of climate change. There are currently around 2,200 beavers in Upper Austria, whose growth has slowed down in saturated areas. While Schallmeiner and Rammerstorfer speak for a fact -based discussion, Rammerstorfer refers to the need to find sustainable solutions.

For the ecologists at WWF, the beaver counts as a key type in combating climate damage and the loss of biodiversity. According to a recently published report, the beaver can not only make water retention, but also plays an essential role in protection against flood damage by creating ponds and storing water in the landscape. In many regions, such as Croatia, the resettlement of beavers already finds success to use their positive effects. So the other day, even beavers were sent to Portugal for resettlement, which shows how versatile these animals can be used.

fascination beaver

The beavers also fascinate beyond national borders. In the Metow Beaver Project in the United States, suitable partners are looking for beavers to found new families and build dams that benefit not only the animal species, but also to the ecosystem. Research shows that beavers can absorb up to 30 percent of water in heavy rain, which underlines the effectiveness of these animals as natural renovators of rivers. Dave Rosgen, a well -known water renovator, relies on the positive properties of the beavers and often uses them to redesign the river.

It remains exciting to see how the discussion in Upper Austria is developing. Schallmeiner and Rammerstorfer are calling for a constructed debate about the beavers, which illuminates both the challenges and the opportunities that these animals offer for our ecosystem

Read more about the situation of the beavers in Upper Austria on tips.at href = "https://www.nationalgeographic.de/tiere/2018/biber-heimwaffe-im-kampf-klimaschaeden"> Nationalgeographic.de and wwf.at .