In Brandenburg, beavers have been causing tensions between nature conservation and economic protection for years. The European beaver has turned out to be a problem animal, particularly at the capital's BER (Berlin Brandenburg Airport). With its tunnel systems and dams, the rodent is damaging the drainage systems that are urgently needed to drain rainwater.
Now the Dahme-Spreewald district has issued a general decree that allows the Dahme-Notte water and soil association to shoot or drive away the beavers at the so-called Selchower Flutgraben. This decree, valid until March next year, could usher in a significant chapter in the conflict between animal protection and economic protection in the Brandenburg region.
The conflict at BER and the economic interests
The Selchow flood ditch is a central component in the water management of the BER, as it drains the rainwater that accumulates. The planning approval decision for the airport even stipulates that at least two cubic meters of water per second must be drained through this ditch. This measure is necessary to ensure flight operations at BER even in the event of heavy rainfall or other precipitation events. However, beavers, which alter the watercourses with their constructions, impair this drainage, which can lead to significant backflow and endanger the economic and safety-related functioning of the airport.
According to a spokeswoman for the Dahme-Spreewald district, this could have serious economic consequences. In order to ensure flight operations and prevent possible damage to infrastructure and traffic areas, the decision was made to "remove" the animals in the relevant area, i.e. to scare them away or kill them.
Protection status of the beaver and the Brandenburg Beaver Ordinance
The European beaver is generally protected as a species in Germany and is considered particularly protected under the Federal Nature Conservation Act. It has been successfully resettled in recent decades and is now part of a stable population in Brandenburg. Thanks to targeted species protection measures, the number of beavers in the Brandenburg region has increased significantly. According to the state authorities, a large part of the population lives along the Oder and Spree rivers. However, although the beaver is considered a protected species, the so-called Beaver Ordinance of the State of Brandenburg also allows shooting in exceptional cases if there is a risk of serious damage to important buildings or a threat to public safety. This regulation was most recently applied during the Oder floods, when beaver structures threatened the stability of the dikes.
The decision at BER to remove the beavers is based on this regulation and is backed up by a general decree. Critics fear, however, that this exemption will be applied too carelessly, thereby reducing the beaver's protected status to absurdity. NABU Brandenburg points out that conflicts between beaver populations and infrastructure projects occur not only at BER, but also in other parts of the country, and asks whether shooting them always has to be the only solution.
Voices and Perspectives: The Environmental Associations and the District
The Dahme-Spreewald district and representatives of the BER stress that the decision to remove beavers was not taken lightly. The nature conservation requirements for Berlin Brandenburg Airport were examined in detail. All measures were considered in order to reconcile the airport's economic interests with the nature conservation requirements. Since the Selchow flood ditch plays a key role in managing rainwater, the authorities ultimately saw no alternative to the planned "removal".
Contradictory voices are coming from the ranks of environmental and animal protection organizations, who see the case as evidence of the weaknesses in the current treatment of endangered species. Environmental organizations such as NABU Brandenburg and WWF Germany are against the shooting of beavers and are instead calling for increased implementation of environmentally friendly alternatives, such as remodeling water drainage systems to prevent flooding. "We are seeing an increasing tendency to put economic interests before species protection," said a NABU spokesman. The association also points out that beaver habitats cannot simply be artificially replaced and that sustainable coexistence between animals and humans should be strived for.
A dilemma between nature conservation and infrastructure
This case at BER highlights the dilemma that nature conservation represents in an increasingly urbanized and infrastructurally developed world. The confrontation between an animal whose way of life influences watercourses and an airport that depends on stable water regulation is an example of the conflicts that occur more frequently in modern environmental policy. In the coming years, cases like this are expected to become more frequent, especially in Brandenburg, which is considered an ideal habitat for beavers due to its extensive rivers and floodplains.
The controversy surrounding the shootings at BER shows how necessary it is to develop innovative solutions for the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. The question remains whether the Brandenburg shooting regulations will be interpreted more strictly in the future or whether alternative approaches, such as near-natural renaturation measures and the targeted use of deterrent measures, will increasingly find their way into the regulations.
A conflict that divides Brandenburg
The action against the beaver at BER is more than just a question of animal or species protection. It highlights the complex challenges that come with the increasing industrialization of natural landscapes.
Reconciling animal and environmental protection on the one hand and economic interests on the other remains a delicate task in Brandenburg. As the case at BER shows, the beaver's protection status becomes a problem when the animal seriously interferes with human interests. As long as no alternative and environmentally friendly solutions are found, the conflict between humans and beavers is likely to continue.
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