ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — Englewood Park has seen a handful of trees fall in recent months, thanks to multiple beavers that have moved into the area.
Residents worry they could lose more unless the beavers are relocated. Among the people involved is Chris Obrecht, who has lived in Englewood for about 15 years and loves coming to Centennial Park near his home.
“It’s a beautiful park. I love the birds and wildlife here,” Obrecht said.
But there’s one member of the park’s wildlife that he doesn’t like as much as the rest: a family of beavers that have moved into the lake.
“Over the past two months or so, they have successfully cut down at least a dozen trees,” Obrecht said.
Obrecht says he’s not the only resident who shares his concern. Several trunks line the lake where trees once stood. Some trees are still standing, uprooted from their sides, and the city of Englewood has installed fencing around others to keep out beavers.
“It makes me sad because I love trees, I love nature,” Obrecht said.
He doesn’t think the people who have already been lost will grow back anytime soon.
“All these trees that are gone may have been gone for a decade,” Obrecht said.
Beavers have been treated as a “nuisance species” in Colorado
The city of Englewood says it is working with wildlife specialists to safely relocate the beavers, but it may take some time. Colorado Parks and Wildlife says beavers are managed as a nuisance species, so the property owner is responsible for what happens to them. But if a relocation application is submitted through CPW, it won’t be approved until June to give the beavers their best chance of surviving in a new habitat.
Obrecht believes creating a new home for the beavers is the best scenario for everyone involved to keep the attractions at his favorite park intact.
“There are better places than this for this beaver, or the beaver family, I’m sure now,” Obrecht said.
CPW says the reason beaver translocations are only completed in the summer is because they are territorial, and having to find new space and their own food source in the winter is not an ideal situation.