Border guard to remove beaver dams from eastern border
The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) will begin regularly ordering the removal of beaver dams built on rivers and streams along Estonia's eastern border as they facilitate the movement of smugglers and others illegally crossing the border.
According to the public procurement for a contractor to complete the removals, the clearing of transboundary bodies of water is necessary due to reasons related to the guarding of the EU's external border and the prevention of smuggling.
The PPA noted that the beaver dams that are considered bothersome from a border guard standpoint are located in Southeastern Estonia on the Pedetsi and Piusa Rivers as well as the Miilikse, Määsovitsa and Mustoja Streams.
As completing the remova will require a partial crossing of the Estonian state border, this must be done in accordance with the State Borders Act.
Trees reaching the border line from the Russian side must be cut from the border line or, according to the task set out by the contracting authority, from the Russian shoreline without setting foot on Russian land. All trees which have fallen from either the Estonian or Russian side must be cleared from the bodies of water in this manner.
The cutting of trees that have fallen into the water or are growing on the Russian side are to be agreed upon with an authorized representative of the Russian border. Work cannot begin without an agreement in place.
Provisions of Estonia's Water Act will likewise apply to the operation and the contractor must take into consideration that the locations involved are more difficult to access and the shoreline is boggy in parts.
The cutting of trees that have fallen into the water or are growing on the Russian side are to be agreed upon with an authorized representative of the Russian border. Work cannot begin without an agreement in place.
Provisions of Estonia's Water Act will likewise apply to the operation and the contractor must take into consideration that the locations involved are more difficult to access and the shoreline is boggy in parts.
"The equipment used must allow for the clearing of rivers in a manner not damaging to the environment," the text of the procurement reads. Any wood and sediment cleared from the transboundary bodies of water must be removed from the site at the expense of the contractor and the beaver dams must be cleared within 15 working days of the start date.
According to PPA data, an average of 30 beaver dams are removed from transboundary bodies of water annually.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
