FARGO — The banks of the Red River in Fargo are littered with the signs of a feast: a gnawed-off stump here, some woodchips there and paths where a small animal dragged fallen branches.
While a dinner of fresh wood may sound unappetizing, beavers are finding their favorite meals along some of Fargo’s most popular paths. As the weather gets colder, the large rodents are stocking up on food for the winter.
On the river trail near downtown Fargo, beaver activity is especially noticeable, as they have felled trees along the path.
According to Stephanie Tucker, furbearer biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, beavers are most active in fall and early winter as they build up their food caches. The animal’s primary food is the inner bark and new growth of trees.
“They’re making big, huge stockpiles to chew on all winter long, and that’s why they get a little bit more active this time of year,” Tucker said.
A beaver gnaws on a small tree it chewed down.
Duluth News Tribune file photo
Beavers may use the larger limbs of trees to build their lodges, the mounds of sticks and mud that beavers live in, she said.
Some trees are more desirable than others to beavers, including willow, aspen and cottonwood trees, Tucker said. That might explain why beavers crossed the river trail near downtown Fargo to take down two aspen trees managed by the Fargo Park District.
Fargo Park District Forester Sam DeMarais reviewed the damage for the first time Thursday morning, Nov. 6.
“They obviously targeted these trees and came up here, which is kind of shocking that they would come across the trail,” DeMarais said.
Fargo Park District Forester Sam DeMarais shows the beaver activity, like cut-down trees, on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, along the Red River in downtown Fargo.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
When beavers take down planted trees, like the seven-year-old aspens, there’s a fiscal impact for the city. Adding up the initial costs of planting and watering the tree, plus costs to remove the stumps and plant a new tree, the park district loses between $500 and $750 per tree, DeMarais said.
The Fargo Park District protects younger, intentionally-planted trees with plastic trunk protectors, he said. Bigger trees can be protected with a metal cage, but those have to be removed as the trees grow.
In the forested areas near bike paths, where trees are not intentionally planted, the park district monitors beaver activity and will trim sharp points on stumps near walking trails so they are not a hazard.
A tree along the Downtown Fargo River Walk that was cut down by beavers as pictured on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
In 2015, the Fargo Park District had a dust-up with beavers that rallied beaver supporters across the metro. At the time, beavers were taking down many mature trees in Trefoil Park and Lemke Park. In response, the Fargo Park District
considered working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
to cull the beavers.
Area residents
forming a group called the “Beaver Backers.” The group organized efforts to
with a gritty paint meant to deter beavers.
After the public outcry, the Fargo Park District did not end up managing the beaver population, according to DeMarais.
“We decided to not do any trapping, and that’s kind of been our stance ever since,” he said.
Fargo Park District Forester Sam DeMarais shows the beaver activity, like cut-down trees, on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, along the Red River in downtown Fargo.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
North Dakota Game and Fish does not have a population estimate of beavers in the state, Tucker said.
On the Moorhead side of the river, beaver activity is not a significant concern in city-maintained areas along the river, the city of Moorhead said in an emailed statement.
“While it’s possible that some tree damage may occur in less-maintained or natural areas, we have not observed notable impacts within our managed spaces,” the statement said. “Given the range of priorities our forestry team addresses daily, beaver-related tree damage has not emerged as a pressing issue to date.”
Ingrid Harbo joined The Forum in March 2024.
Harbo reports on Moorhead and Clay County news.
Readers can reach Harbo at 701-241-5526 or iharbo@forumcomm.com. Follow her on Twitter @ingridaharbo.