The beaver population in Antwerp Province has significantly increased in recent years, leading to issues such as threatened residential areas and flooded agricultural land. To address this nuisance structurally, the province has appointed a full-time beaver coordinator: Mathias Michielsen.
As the new beaver coordinator, Michielsen will be responsible for coordinating the beaver approach within the province. He will translate the Flemish species protection program for the European beaver into a provincial framework and guide its implementation in the field. Communication with stakeholders, including nature managers, watercourse managers, and farmers, is central to finding sustainable solutions for coexistence with the beaver.
Antwerp Province manages 2,400 kilometers of watercourses and intervenes to limit the nuisance caused by beaver dams. In 2025, the Integrated Water Policy department conducted approximately 4,500 checks and over 1,000 interventions, such as topping or removing dams. The costs for this monitoring and intervention have quintupled since 2021, exceeding 100,000 euros in 2025. However, these measures often provide only temporary relief, as the beaver enjoys European protected status.
Although the Flemish species protection program offers various solutions, they are not yet sufficiently operational. The new beaver coordinator will play a crucial role in defining core habitat areas and determining where interventions are necessary to prevent damage, pending further clarity from Flanders.
