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On the Belgian beaver trail

Saturday, 01 May 2010 00:00 Tim Reynolds

The beaver has been reintroduced to the rivers of the Ardennes and elsewhere in Belgium. Tim Reynolds joins an expedition near Houffalize to find out more about beaver conservation and its role in eco-tourism.

The rendezvous for my Saturday morning spring excursion is the vast, but discretely hidden, Ol Fosse d’Outh – a hotel and sports complex just outside Houffalize. My guide, Gilbert Bastiaens, is on his GSM in the foyer. Some 40 people want to join today’s expedition and he needs to call in some assistance. Fortunately an off-duty colleague is fishing in the area and agrees to help out.

As we drive through Achouffe to the valley of the Belle Meuse, the starting point of our walk, Gilbert tells us the story of the remarkable decline and return of the beaver to the Ardennes.

Beavers died out in Belgium in 1897. The primary reason for their demise was the value of their fur. “One beaver pelt was worth the equivalent of a peasant farmer’s annual wage in the 1890s,” Gilbert explains.

The animal also suffered due to the ruling by the Catholic Church that water-living animals could be eaten on Friday and during Lent. Beaver meat is rather tasty and was a welcome change from fish for Catholic families.

The third nail in the coffin of the beaver was medicine related. Willow trees are a staple part of the beaver diet and their bark and leaves contain salicylic acid (a precursor of aspirin) a compound that is concentrated in the castoreum secreted by the beaver. This compound was a powerful source of pain relief before the advent of modern pharmaceuticals.

But the beavers returned to Belgium in 1997, on the centenary of their extinction, thanks to a team of conservationists led by Olivier Rubbers. He released 101 beavers originally from Bavaria into the wild in Belgium. Today, beaver lodges can be found all over southern Belgium and the beaver population is estimated to be more than 1000.

Eco-tourism

The idea of reintroducing Beavers to Belgium was not universally welcomed: the forestry, farming and local fishing communities lobbied against it. However, beaver eco-tourism has had a big economic impact on some villages in the Ardennes and the animals’ return has not caused any major problems.

Gilbert leads our party for a short walk up the beautiful river valley to a series of dams and lodges constructed by one local beaver family. Beavers adapt their building techniques to the terrain – especially to the profile of the river valley. Although there are no beavers in sight – they are mainly nocturnal creatures – there are signs of their activity everywhere.

In particular Gilbert points out a “beaver restaurant” where the animals have been chewing on a tree stump and fresh “beaver chips” – flakes of wood are scattered around.

Beavers have many beneficial ecological impacts. Their dams help control water flow and actually reduce flooding. Their tree felling techniques do not usually kill the plant. And the shallow pools that they create are ideal breeding habitats – or “aquatic love palaces” to use Gilbert’s phrase – for other animals like ducks and amphibians.

Flower of the Ardennes

After the excursion we return to Houffalize for a short film on the life of the beaver at the hotel. I thank Gilbert and take a stroll into the village. Houffalize is described as the ‘flower of the Ardennes’, and it is ablaze with floral colour during the summer. The village is also a bonanza for the sports-minded. In particular it boasts some of the best mountain-bike trails in the country and is host to the World Mountain bike Championships each May.

This event can bring 20,000 or more bike fans to the small village, but usually it is much less crowded. Among other attractions, Houffalize is the centre of the Parc Naturel des Deux Ourthes and is also home to Houtopia – a brand new indoor and outdoor play park for children.

Having looked around the town, I decided to return to nearby Achouffe to sample the famous local brew, La Chouffe, at the brewery tavern. On entering I spot Gilbert enjoying a well-earned lunch before returning home to Flanders. I join him for a beer, a plate of local cheese and charcuterie and to talk more about eco-tourism.

After lunch we both stop off for ‘souvenirs’ at the brewery shop and Gilbert points out La Petite Fountaine restaurant across the road which is “the place to be” for live music in the area particularly on a Saturday night.

To complete my beaver education Gilbert takes me to what he describes as a “drive-in” beaver lodge before we go our separate ways. This magnificent site is home to the largest known beaver lodge in Europe and is easily observed from a not-too-remote by-road – no need for big boots or strenuous hiking here.

But I’m not going to tell you where it is. To find out more you’ll need to discover ‘le pays des castors’ by joining one of the many guided walks organised by Olivier, Gilbert and colleagues and contribute a little to the conservation of these industrious and iconic mammals.