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Martin County to use leftover beaver‑bounty funds to expand USDA trapping program
Summary
The board approved using excess Beaver Bounty funds to partner with the USDA Beaver Management Assistance Program (BMAP), supplementing county payments with voluntary landowner cost‑share to remove beaver dams and improve drainage infrastructure.
The Martin County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on March 13 to allow the Soil & Water Conservation District to use leftover Beaver Bounty funds to expand participation in the USDA Beaver Management Assistance Program (BMAP).
Soil & Water Chairman Ricky Cannon told commissioners the beaver population had grown and was damaging roads, agriculture, timber and drainage systems. Under the proposal, the district would contact willing landowners to arrange BMAP services; participants would pay a modest cost‑share ($20 per visit; $150 for dam removal) and the USDA specialist would perform an initial, no‑charge assessment. County Manager David Bone said the beaver bounty fund balance was $2,950 with only weeks remaining in the state season.
Sheriff Tim Manning told the board he supported the proposal, noting prior instances of beavers trapped outside Martin County being turned in for payment and saying this effort would keep bounty funds local. District Conservationist Whitehurst and Cannon said the program would be strictly voluntary and that USDA accountability measures would be used to track work and outcomes.
Why it matters: Unchecked beaver activity is cited in the minutes as causing drainage problems and property damage; the expanded partnership is intended to combine county funds, USDA expertise, and voluntary landowner cost‑shares to address priority drainage problems more effectively.
What’s next: The board authorized staff to proceed with conversations with USDA and to use existing bounty funds to help fund additional trapping and dam removal services on a voluntary, landowner‑paid basis.
