Bill > HB3932

This bill establishes comprehensive protections for beavers in certain water areas of Oregon, prohibiting their recreational or commercial taking in specific environmental and geographical contexts. The bill defines key terms such as "human-constructed water conveyance infrastructure" and "nonlethal coexistence measure", which includes methods like flow control devices, protective fencing, and careful dam management that avoid harming beavers. Specifically, the bill prevents taking beavers in areas classified by the Department of Environmental Quality as category 4 or 5 under the Clean Water Act, particularly in streams, rivers, or watersheds on or near public lands within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark. The State Department of Fish and Wildlife must publish and update a map of these protected areas every two years. While the bill generally prohibits beaver removal, it provides exceptions for land management agency employees who can take beavers to address imminent threats to infrastructure or agricultural crops, with a preference for nonlethal methods. The bill explicitly does not apply to private lands and maintains the treaty and statutory rights of federally recognized Indian tribes. Importantly, the legislation emphasizes preservation and coexistence with beavers rather than their elimination.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB3932