Driving along the forest roads of AS “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM), you can often see dams built by beavers. They are found on rivers and streams as well as in forest drainage systems. Such dams cause water to pool, which affects the surrounding areas. If there are forest stands nearby, this damages them and permanently reduces the economic value of those stands.

A beaver dam is not the only result of these animals' activity. Ričards Lapiņš, forest infrastructure specialist for the LVM Vidzeme region, noticed several burrows that a beaver had dug over a longer period while carrying out his day-to-day work in the Rūjiena district.

“Once the burrows have been dug out, depressions and holes form on the surface of the forest road, endangering traffic safety. The only solution is a complete rebuild of the structure along the damaged section, because it is impossible to determine visually how long the burrows are that the beaver has dug beneath the road. Fortunately, this particular damage is not located beneath a main road,” explains Ričards Lapiņš, forest infrastructure specialist for the LVM Vidzeme region.

A beaver builds a dam so that the entrance to its burrow lies underwater, for reasons of safety. If the dam is torn down, there is a strong chance that the burrows will be exposed and that a predator may find them. It must be borne in mind, however, that a site suitable for beavers rarely stays empty for long. If a beaver family moves away, is hunted or falls prey to predators, others will settle in that place after a while.

https://www.lvm.lv/jaunumi/7528-bebru-ietekme-uz-meza-autoceliem-un-melioracijas-sistemam