Peterson: Bye Bye Beaver Dam
Town officials say work to remove the problematic beaver dam near the Stop River could start today.
Beaver damage on a Bayberry Road property. Beaver have reportedly dammed up the Stop River which has caused standing water in the neighborhood.
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In his personal blog, "Medfield 02052" on Wednesday, Selectman Osler Peterson's addressed the beaver issue on that is causing trouble for residents on Bayberry Road and Stagecoach Road.
Work to remove the dam is scheduled to begin this week, weather permitting.
Here is Peterson's post.
Editor's note: The following commentary is the opinion of selectman Osler "Pete" Peterson, which was published on his blog, "Medfield 02052" on August 10, 2012.
By Selectman Osler "Pete" Peterson
Email from Mike Sullivan about the permits in place to breach the beaver dam -
8/15/2012 3:10PM
Removal of the beaver dam
Sullivan, Michael J.
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The permits authorizing the removal of the beaver dam have been signed by agents of the Board of Health and the Conservation Commission and forwarded to the Norfolk County Mosquito Control. I spolk to Caroline Haviland from Norfolk County Mosquito Control this afternoon and depending upon the weather tonight and tomorrow, they may start breeching the dam tomorrow. As noted earler, it will take several days to fully remove the dam. Medfield DPW has also been alerted in case they need to assist. Mike Sullivan
Heidi Perryman
11:32 am on Friday, August 17, 2012
Are the permits for 'removing the dam' or 'killing the beavers'? Obviously using taxpayer dollars to rip out a dam is a short term solution since beavers rebuild. Killing the beavers is also a short term solution since new ones will move into adequate habitat. A better solution would have been to install a flow device at the dam that would control dam height.
Ken Koellner
2:04 pm on Friday, August 17, 2012
From what I understand...
The permits are to gradually breach the dam.
No emergency permits have been issue to capture or kill beaver.
It's legal in MA for licensed trappers to trap beaver from November through April using case traps. So this fall, trappers could come and try to harvest the beaver.