Beaver in the Highlands

The HOA has received concerns about a recent incident with a beaver. We’ve reached out to Chesterfield Police and the VA Department of Wildlife Resources for guidance. The document below summarizes the safe and legal means for dealing with beavers.

Always consider deterrent methods first. If these do not work please, for the sake of safety, contact a professional.

The laws in Virginia forbid both trap and release and discharge of a firearm within 600′ of another private property or public spot such as our lake. Put another way, you would have to be standing in the middle of a 32 acre circle to ensure you were not potentially violating the law.

Please be safe!

“Beaver” Information from your HCA BOD

Ah, the industrious beaver—a creature that engineers entire ecosystems with its dam-building prowess! In Chesterfield County, Virginia, the rules around beavers and their management are quite interesting. Here’s the scoop:

Beaver Nuisance and Damage:

Beavers are North America’s largest rodents, and they’re found throughout Virginia, including Chesterfield County.

These critters are essential because they create new habitats that benefit other animals. Their dams slow down water flow, allowing other wildlife and plant species to thrive in these modified ecosystems.

However, there’s a catch: Beavers can cause significant damage. They munch on trees, flood roads, and even mess with septic systems. The estimated annual damage caused by beavers in the Southeast reaches the millions of dollars!

Legal Methods of Beaver Management:

If you’re dealing with a beaver-related issue on your property, here’s what you should consider:

  • Wrapping Trees: One way to discourage a beaver is by wrapping trees in chicken wire or heavy metal sheeting. Wrap the tree up to a height of 4 feet to keep those eager beavers at bay.
  • Paint Tree Trunks: This might sound a bit artsy, but it works! Coat tree trunks with a mixture of latex paint and sand. The gritty texture makes it less appealing for beavers to gnaw on them
  • Professional Wildlife Removal Services:  These folks specialize in comprehensive and environmentally friendly beaver removal. They help protect your property while preserving local ecosystems. They use humane methods, including habitat modification, dam removal, and preventive measures.

There are other methods of dealing with Beavers, but we advise against it due to the nature of Virginia laws.

Chesterfield County is one of a few localities in Virginia where there’s a continuous open trapping season for beavers. While landowners can legally trap or shoot beavers causing damage without obtaining a kill permit, please be aware of the law

If you’re considering discharging a firearm, keep in mind that there are distance restrictions:

It is unsafe and illegal to discharge a firearm within 600 feet of another person’s dwelling, business establishment, public building, public gathering, or a public meeting place

If you trap a beaver yourself unfortunately, you can’t play “Beaver Relocation Services.” Moving beavers to other areas is also illegal under the Virginia Code.

So, to sum it up: Always remember, safety first!  If a beaver is wreaking havoc on your property in Chesterfield County, you have some options. First, try the tree-wrapping or painting trick. If that doesn’t work, please consider a wildlife mitigation service to ensure you do not break the law or run the risk of hurting another individual.

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