Beaver Debate

What To Do

Visit 1 (approx. 1 hour)

• Explain the scenario and the structure of this workshop:
  • They will learn about a real life environmental issue that happened in Stittsville, ON. They will be provided with information to explain why the issue occurred and the importance of the beaver to an ecosystem and biodiversity. They will go through four viewpoints of organizations who were involved in the issue. Then, they will be assigned to a team and view. In two weeks, the volunteers will return to run a debate.
• Show the following video: The Dam Beavers Natures Engineers Building (dailymotion) from 15:50-20:52.
• Use the Beaver Debate Presentation to introduce culverts and problems that can occur when beavers flood them, and how the City responds to beavers.
• Inform the students of the issue:
  • In the fall of 2011, two beavers took up residence in a storm water pond in a residential area of Stittsville. The City of Ottawa, concerned about flooding issues, attempted to trap and kill the beavers. They could not move the beavers to a nearby wetland as it was already inhabited by other beavers and the Ministry of Natural Resources does not allow animals to be relocated to a place more than one km from where they are trapped. Residents opposed to the killing of the beavers maintained a vigil in Paul Lindsay Park, where the lodge was located. They organized demonstrations and a petition that flooded the mayor's office with entreaties to allow the beavers to remain in the park over winter, as it was too late in the season for them to move to a new area and build a new lodge before the water froze. They argued that the flood risk would be minimal over the winter, and that this would give the City of Ottawa time to come up with a better solution to the problem and to develop a much needed Wildlife Strategy to deal with future conflicts. In early November 2011, Mayor Watson succumbed to public pressure and announced that the City would not proceed with its plan to trap and kill the beaver family. Taken from: Ottawa: The Most "wildlife unfriendly" city in Canada.
• Give students time to read the Beaver Debate Viewpoints from various people and organizations involved in the issue: City of Ottawa environmental planning office, a local resident, environmental advocate and the Councilor of Stittsville. They responded to the following questions:
  • How did you view the problem?
  • Is there a larger/overarching problem?
  • Why did you get involved?
  • What did you do to help solve the problem and how successful were you at meeting your goals?
  • Did the City's solution satisfy you and if not, what, in your view, could have been done differently?
  • How would you describe the other party's points of view?
• Ask the educator to separate students into four groups (one for each viewpoint). They will have time to read the additional articles, do research and get ready to defend their viewpoint in a debate.
  • Every student in each group must engage in the oral debate, so they will need to plan who will say what beforehand.

Visit 2 (two weeks later, approx. 1 hour)

• To start the debate, each group will present in their own words their view of the issue and their rationale for their view (5 minutes).
• After the initial viewpoints are presented, each group can take turns debating their points of view or "cross examining" or pose questions about the other group's point of view. They must back these up with evidence.
• During the last 15 minutes, give each group 2 minutes to summarize.
• The class will choose the winning group.