Biber under fire: Who destroys the important dam in Offenbach?

Biber under fire: Who destroys the important dam in Offenbach?

In Offenbach-Bieber, the conflict around the dams of the beavers reaches a new highlight. Members of a local allotment association repeatedly report destruction that they are directly related to Deutsche Bahn. The most recent destruction of the dam occurred in the night from April 23 to April 24, 2025, and according to eyewitness reports there was a train with a cross excavator trailer nearby when the dam was damaged. Richard Wolff, a member of the allotment garden association, is convinced that Deutsche Bahn is responsible for the incidents. These allegations encounter resistance to the railway, which claims that the damage was caused by heavy rain - a representation that Helge Herget rejected by the Offenbach voter Association for all (OFA).

already about six months ago there was a similar incident when a dam near the alder walk was demolished by strangers. At that time, the OFA filed a complaint to draw attention to the repeated destruction of the beaver's habitat. Helge Herget notes that this habitat has been obstructed again and again for over 20 years.

criticism of the Deutsche Bahn and the role of nature conservation

The current coalition agreement in Hessen provides for Biber to include the list of hunting wild animals. This illustrates the continuing conflict of interest between the nature conservation requirements and the needs of residents that feel at risk. A farmer has already complained about the floods of his meadows caused by the rodents.

The city of Offenbach, however, praised past measures to be renaturated, which are based on the beavers. The responsible authorities emphasize that all measures related to beaver areas may only be carried out in coordination with the nature conservation authorities. It is also found that the recent destruction took place without the approval of the upper nature conservation authority.

The complexity of the situation increases through the announcement of Deutsche Bahn to revise its strategy in vegetation control. As part of your new "Stark Schiene" initiative, the focus is on environmentally friendly vegetation control. The railway has already fully set the use of glyphosate in the track area since 2023 and strives to act through sustainable procedures such as digital vegetation control and mechanical measures. These changes should also help protected species such as the crop lizard to better open up their habitats.

The conflict about the beavers and the inciting interests of nature conservation, agriculture and infrastructure shows how difficult the balancing act can be between ecological needs and human demands. The electoral association of OFA plans to reimburse a complaint to address the destruction and to counteract further incidents.