By: Eva Resz
Southern Adventist University’s Student Park has been experiencing increased beaver activity, leading to the downing of multiple trees.
According to Mark Antone, director of Landscape services, the beaver population in the area has recently grown. Antone said the increase in beaver activity may be linked to ongoing construction and urban development around campus, pushing wildlife into new areas.
“We’ve had beavers here before, but we may be getting more for the same reason we’re seeing an increase in deer and other wildlife,” he said. “There’s a lot more construction all around campus, which pushes the wildlife to more open areas, and we have a nice, open creek.”
Antone said beavers alter landscapes by building dams, which can lead to flooding and significant environmental changes. If left unchecked, these dams could flood Student Park, the soccer fields and other low-lying areas on campus. Additionally, according to Antone, the dams impact stormwater drainage, potentially disrupting the campus’s water management system.
“As the beavers start building the dam, and they keep making it bigger and bigger, that water backs up and changes the whole environment,” Antone said.
Beaver activity has also led to the loss of trees in Student Park, according to Antone. He said the university has dealt with the situation primarily by dismantling beaver dams as soon as they appear.
“We had to take a couple of trees down,” Antone said. “There was one big one, right in the Student Park, that had been girdled and was in danger of falling. If we let the beavers stay, all of those trees along the creek bank would be damaged.”
To manage the issue, the university contracts with a licensed Tennessee Wildlife Management professional who ensures humane trapping and removal of beavers when necessary, according to Antone. He said at least three beavers have been trapped recently.
Some students have enjoyed spotting the beavers around campus. Hanie Cruz, freshman biology major, recalled a nighttime walk by the river when she and her friends heard an unexpected sound.
“We heard a slapping sound in the water, and at first, we got really scared because we thought it was a person,” Cruz said. “Then we saw something moving, and one of my friends realized it was a beaver. We watched as it swam through the river, came out of the water, and started biting a tree. It was so cute.”
According to Cruz, she enjoyed the sighting but understands why the university needs to manage the beaver population.
“I want to see them more often, but I think it’s really sad that they’re going to be gone now,” Cruz said. “But it’s okay.”
Dee Dee Boyce, landscaping office manager, shared a similar perspective to Antone, acknowledging the beavers’ impact on the campus environment.
“It’s really fun to have a beaver around, but I know this is not their environment,” Boyce said. “You know, they’re going to take trees down that we would like to keep, and when they dam up, they’re going to make a big lake. I hate to see them go, but it’s really not a place for them where they’ll survive very well, either. It’s just that wildlife management is difficult. You have to make some choices sometimes.”
Boyce said the university works conscientiously with ACES (Animal Control Emergency Services) to handle wildlife concerns.
“If we have an animal issue on campus, he’s very conscientious about handling the animals,” she said. “I know my contractor is so knowledgeable about all the animals he traps. You can tell that he really cares too about keeping things in balance because they were taking a lot of trees.”
According to Boyce, campus landscaping staff prioritize maintaining green spaces while ensuring safety for students and faculty.
“I know Mark [Antone] and the supervisors here really care about the campus, and we want to keep green spaces and trees and things to keep nature here,” she said. “You know, it’s part of God’s creation as part of the school as well. They’re good keepers of the environment here, and keep trying to keep a balance. But the main thing is to protect people too.”
Abhishek Thavamani, a professor in the Biology Department, shared insight on beavers’ positive effects on the Collegedale community.
“Since coming to Southern a couple of years ago, I have only heard about the famous ‘duck pond.’ I haven’t seen them, though,” Thavamani said. “I read recently that the city of Collegedale was revamping the pond.”
According to Thavamani, the beavers have apparently decided to pitch in and help create natural water habitats for other flora and fauna (such as ducks) to flourish. Beaver dams allow for great water diversity and serve as a natural filter for water purification, said Thavamani.
“Given how much the beaver cares about the natural biodiversity of SAU campus and how much work it is putting in for that,” said Thavamani, “it is hard not to think that the beavers would have been a better choice for mascot of our university.”
“I think beavers are cool animals,” Antone said. “If this were a national park, I’d love to see them. But in our situation, they pose a real problem.”
According to Antone, managing the beaver population allows landscaping to protect the trees, maintain the stormwater systems and ensure safety for people walking through Student Park.
“The best thing we can do is keep knocking down the beaver dams,” he said. “If we can stay ahead of it, we can discourage them so we don’t have to trap them. It’s all part of a wildlife management approach.”
