Please join us in supporting Oregon House Bill 2843, the legislative proposal to close recreational and commercial trapping of beavers on federally-managed public lands. Beavers provide important habitat restoration functions that help mitigate the damages of pesticide pollution and climate change for salmon and other endangered species. This is the first critical hurdle that must be crossed if HB 2843, and Oregon’s streams and human and wild communities, have a chance of benefiting from the many water and habitat-related benefits of beavers. Note that the information on this page comes from Suzanne Fouty, Ph.D., hydrologist/soils specialist and retired Forest Service.

HB 2843 has been assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture on Natural Resources. Unfortunately, that committee has also been assigned around 100 other pieces of legislation, so HB 2843 faces stiff competition for time and attention – if a bill does not get a hearing, it “dies” in committee and will not move forward during this legislative session.

Learn more about HB2843 on the Oregon State Legislature website, in this overview of the bill and in these bill FAQs. 

Please email members of the House Committee ASAP to share your support for HB 2843! Tips for your email:

• Include two main messages:
  • 1) Ask the committee to please schedule a public hearing for HB 2843.
  • 2) Say why it’s important to help beaver thrive on the landscape. Tie it to your community and its needs as well as the larger picture.  If you live in a rural community, please state that up front. This is not an urban vs. rural way of life bill but it touches on Oregon water security, water quality, drought preparedness, natural resources, fish and wildlife habitat and wildfire mitigation that benefits all Oregonians.
• Feel free to use language from the informational sheet or FAQs. It’s best to pick one or two points to include with your request for a hearing. Stressing the importance of the water-related benefits will be helpful.
• Your message should be fairly short and to the point. Longer is not better!
• Personalized/individualized emails are preferred over form letters, and are often more influential.
• Make the subject line in the email something like:
  • Please schedule a hearing for HB 2843 to support beavers
  • Requesting a public hearing for HB 2843/Beaver Legislation
  • HB 2843/Beaver Legislation Needs a Hearing this session!
  • In support of HB 2843 & Beaver Legislation
• The email can be “Dear” or “To”: Chair Brad Witt, House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources; or Chair Brad Witt and Legislators

Send/cc your email to these Oregon legislators:

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Thank you for your time and partnership in support of creating a vibrant future for Oregon with the help of beavers and the habitat they build and maintain at little to no cost!  Oregon’s future water security, its streams, fish, wildlife and human communities need beavers, and beavers need the protection that comes with HB 2843.