A preponderance of beavers is gnawing at Town of Amherst residents.
The summer's dry conditions have area beavers chewing down more trees than usual for the creation of dams. The critters have begun to damage memorial trees planted along the Amherst bike path, and that is raising the ire of locals. Traps are being set to control the beaver population, an approach for which the town does have a nuisance permit. The method does lead to the death of the trapped animal.
In 2010, 112 beavers were eliminated in Erie County in accordance with the permits.
The Department of Environmental Conservation does consider the beaver to be a protected species but that does not affect the issuance of permits.
