Biber problem in Lower Saxony: Farmers are calling for immediate solutions!

Biber problem in Lower Saxony: Farmers are calling for immediate solutions!

in Rössing near Nordstmen, in the picturesque district of Hildesheim, the minds are boiling. Local agriculture is faced with ever greater challenges in recent years, especially through the growing beaver population. These lovable rodents, which do not cause any problems up to a certain point, have caused considerable damage to agricultural areas through their dam buildings. The farmers ironically call the “the Rössinger Lake District” the flooded areas that were once fertile soil. Sowing potatoes repentant there while the farmers are fighting to secure their earnings. Kai Rodewald, arable farmers and chairman of the Realverband, speaks of annual damage worth tens of thousands of euros, and 20,000 euros alone will be remedied by the renovation, he says.

"We now have a beaver population of over 500 in Lower Saxony," continued Rodewald. This leads to a noticeable frustration among the farmers. The Ministry of the Environment has developed a nationwide beaver concept, the draft of which will be presented soon, but the Lower Saxony Land people is disappointed with the insufficient consideration of its suggestions. According to Land Volk President Holger Hennies, practical solutions are required. "We need a management concept that supports us," he emphasizes. One suggestion is to replace space with exchange areas and create incentives for voluntary water strips.

conflicts between nature conservation and agriculture

The demand for compensation for economic damage caused by the beavers is based on the size of the companies. Hennies sees it as urgently necessary to create reliable protection of ownership, reliability and justice in order to prevent future conflicts between nature conservation and agriculture. The "Lower Saxon Way" could serve as a model to find common solutions. The country's warnings are clear: Another field of conflict could arise without compensation and participation.

In the discussion about the problem, Ralf Schulte, a beaver consultant, has their say. He emphasizes that 90 % of the beavers do not cause any problems. Nevertheless, there are measures that can help if there are conflicts. So you could give the beavers more space, as intended in the Lower Saxony concept, or manage the secondary tribes. Another tool is the "Bibertäuscher", an effective pipe system that enables the water drain through the beaver dam. Schulte is certain: Despite all efforts, the beaver will remain.

The challenges of agriculture

A closer look at the agricultural Situation shows that the production pressure increases steadily. The food retail trade requires inexpensive products in larger quantities, while the number of farms and employees is falling. According to the data of the BMEL, the number of companies over 800,000 in 1980 decreased to only 275,400 in 2016. As a result, remaining companies have to manage larger areas and have to operate more efficiently to survive.

Not everything is rosy. The financial framework conditions become more obvious, since the companies are strongly dependent on government aids and in many cases they have to open up additional sources of income. Climate change also has extreme weather events that threaten the acreage and water resources. "Growing challenges due to the increase in the world population and the threat of biodiversity present agriculture to great tasks," said the experts.

The situation is complex and requires innovative approaches. It remains to be seen how the new beaver concept will look in detail and what effects it will have on agriculture in Lower Saxony. A good cooperation could be the key to sustainably promote and support both nature conservation and agriculture.

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