California Beaver Coexistence Training and Support Program (Project)
Summary
SCH Number
2026060955
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Watershed Restoration Grants
(CDFW, WRGB)
Document Title
California Beaver Coexistence Training and Support Program (Project)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/22/2026
Document Description
On September 18, 2024, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) executed a $2,000,000 grant with Nature Based Solutions: Wetlands and Mountain Meadows funding to the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center to launch a program facilitating widespread beaver coexistence strategies. Initial grant activities related to planning have recently been completed. These activities included setting up a Help Desk website, training professionals in nonlethal deterrence strategies, setting up data collection and analysis strategies, and conducting outreach. The Grantee will assist landowners with implementation of beaver damage-deterrent installations that result in the alleviation of beaver depredation and reduction in beaver take by providing non-lethal deterrence strategies and support for beaver coexistence installations. Now CDFW is authorizing the next phase of the grant agreement: implementation of the following physical activities on a programmatic basis as “low-impact” activities to be funded under the grant (Project):
• Non-invasive activities to prevent and minimize flooding caused by beaver damming, such as pond levelers, fenced notches, and beaver deceiver flow pipes;
• Strategies to prevent blocked culverts and water conveyance structures, using methods such as culvert protection (exclusion) fencing, beaver back savers (a retrofit to an existing weir allowing water to flow through the structure using a perforated pipe capped with a metal grate), or diversion fencing installations (fencing upstream of a culvert which diverts beavers damming efforts away from the culvert);
• Tree protection strategies, including use of regular or electric fencing around individual or groups of trees, and painting trees with sand paint; and
• Replacement and maintenance activities related to all installed devices.
Contact Information
Name
Elizabeth Buttler
Agency Name
CDFW
Job Title
Policy and Outreach Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Dave Henson
Agency Name
Occidental Arts and Ecology Center
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Priority in Butte, Colusa, Merced, Placer, Sacramento.
Counties
Butte, Colusa, Merced, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin
Regions
Northern California, Southern California
Other Location Info
The project includes design and implementation of low-impact beaver coexistence (i.e., damage-deterrent) activities on privately–owned and/or publicly–owned land located throughout California with priority in Butte, Colusa, Merced, Placer, Sacramento, and San Joaquin Counties.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 15304 subdivision (d)
Reasons for Exemption
CDFW has determined that the Project meets the qualifying criteria set forth in Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 15304 subdivision (d). CDFW’s determination that the Project qualifies as a “minor alteration[s] in land, water, and vegetation on existing officially designated wildlife management areas or fish production facilities which result in improvement of habitat for fish and wildlife resources or greater fish production” is supported by the Project will use low-impact preventative methods to prevent beaver-related damage, reducing the need for lethal control, and minimizing property damage.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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