Biber plague in Gutenstein: Pensioners are desperately fighting for his forest!

Biber plague in Gutenstein: Pensioners are desperately fighting for his forest!

In the region around Gutenstein, the 82-year-old Karl Gruber faces considerable challenges due to the activities of beavers on his forest. As the Schwäbische Zeitung , sees Gruber, a retired forester that causes sustainable damage than a serious Threat for his 50 -year -old forest.

Gruber, who inherited his passion for forestry from his father and grandfather, planned to plant a forest on an unused meadow in the Vilsinger Forest, together with his late wife five decades ago. However, the now grown spruces and Douglasia are at risk from the dams that the beavers built in the nearby stream. These dams lead to flooding and thus further damage to the trees.

protective measures and helplessness

Although Gruber has tried to eliminate the dams, the beaver builds it up again. A special problem is the sensitivity of the spruces against waterlogging, which can lead to putrefaction and bark beetle attack. Experts from the district office could not support Gruber sufficiently, so that he only received material to protect his trees. Despite the construction of fences around the trees, the beaver continues to cause damage.

Gruber now feels helpless and describes the beaver as a kind of co -owner of his property. In order to minimize the damage, he had some affected trees fell, hoping to achieve a certain proceeds from the wood. Regrettably, trees had to be felled that would probably have been able to grow for 20 to 30 years. Gruber planted in the endeavor to prevent further damage because he heard that the beaver likes it less.

The problem with the beaver is part of a major discussion. The European beaver, which was exterminated in Bavaria in the 19th century, was resolved between the 1960s and 80s. The Website of the Bund Naturschutz informed that there are now about 90 beaver areas in the district of Fürth, which partly for damage to agricultural areas and leads. While Biber play an important role in the ecosystem, the challenge for residents remains how to keep the balance between nature conservation and personal interests.