On May 17, students will gather for Carleton’s third annual Beaverfest at Lower Lyman Lakes. Hosts of the event say it centers around the goals of fostering community in nature, learning about beavers and their existence in natural and built environments and considering our coexistence within and alongside the natural world.
Event leader Jonah Docter-Loeb ’25 explains that Beaverfest targets both the Carleton and Northfield communities to “get people talking about our relationship with the natural world.” He said that beavers are unique in that they are one of the only other species that can change the natural world to their liking, essentially engineering the ecosystem to their own agenda. “Conflict with beavers forces us to fight for our vision for a landscape, and in the process brings to the surface simmering discussions of what we value and how to balance our responsibilities to each other and nature,” said Docter-Loeb Docter-Loeb said that he believes that beavers are a cute, visible and charismatic vehicle for this bigger conversation.
Beaverfest began in Spring Term of 2023 when Docter-Loeb began sabotaging beaver traps around Lyman Lakes. The Carleton campus is home to a number of beavers that currently live primarily in the lower Arb along the Cannon River. The desire to trap beavers may be influenced by their habits such as chewing on outdoor furniture, flooding land or taking down trees.
Minnesota state law statue 97B.655 allows a landowner, legal occupant or their authorized agent to shoot or trap beavers that are causing property damage. This removal does not require a permit so long as the landowner has authorized the removal, can prove beaver damage has occurred on their property, shoots or traps the beaver when it is currently on their property and notifies the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources within 24 hours. Otherwise, a free permit is required which authorizes beaver removal out of season and without the requirement of a license. The live relocation of beavers is not permitted, so all beaver trapping is lethal.
Although Carleton has historically engaged in beaver trapping as a population management strategy, they have not done so for the past several years. Currently, Arboretum Director Nancy Braker ’81 is more focused on controlling vegetation as a means of managing beaver populations. “I wouldn’t say we’re saying we would never trap,” said Braker. “We’re leaving that open as a possibility if we’re not able to manage the vegetation in other ways, but we’d prefer not to.”
In the lower Arb, Braker is unconcerned about beaver activity due to the vast amount of habitat in the area which allows beavers to remove trees without significantly affecting forest cover. The upper Arb presents an area of greater concern due to the limited habitat size and potential impact on landscape plantings. In this area, Arb workers have wrapped some trees in wire to discourage beavers from chewing on them; upstream, groves of aspen trees — a preferred beaver food source — are growing to encourage beavers to stay away from older growth trees. Generally, Braker is optimistic about the campus’ relationship with the beavers, saying, “we expect to live with the beavers the best we can.”
Learning about beaver trapping and meeting Mike Smith, who formerly operated Carleton’s beaver traps, sparked an interest for Docter-Loeb. He began an independent study focused on beavers and environmental ethics, investigated a variety of beaver management techniques and ultimately organized Beaverfest as his final project. Docter-Loeb describes it as “a fun event for the town and college to come together to talk about the promise and peril of living alongside beavers.”
Beaverfest will offer a variety of educational and fun activities for community members and students. Docter-Loeb estimates that approximately 500 people attend, with about half from Carleton, and half from the city of Northfield, though the group is hoping to get a more accurate attendance estimate at this year’s event. The event will feature a variety of informational booths from different organizations, including the Minnesota Science Museum presenting beaver fossils, the Minnesota Trappers Association presenting a variety of pelts and traps and the lab of Dr. Emily Fairfax at University of Minnesota presenting research on how beavers can be a part of fighting climate change. There will also be a variety of complimentary refreshments as well as arts and crafts activities such as tote-bag-making and screenprinting. The event itself raises money to host next year’s Beaverfest along with a donation to Carleton Mutual Aid.
Beaverfest is facilitated by the Environmental Studies Department and partners with a variety of campus offices and organizations to source supplies, while student volunteers run and organize the event. Docter-Loeb says he hopes that students with interest should get involved and help run the event next year, after he graduates. “We are in a critical phase where this event will only survive if there is enough community interest,” said Docter-Loeb. “Just by showing up, you show the Carleton administration and ENTS that this is an event worth having!”