Dear Editor:

I bought and built a house 15 years ago off Pump Station Road which is off the Beath Road. Pump Station Road is town owned and maintained and services a back-up water supply (pump station) for the town.

When I purchased my land, the meadow was mostly open water. I could sit on my deck and watch beaver, ducks, mink, otter, heron, deer, moose, etc. It was also full of fish. I’ve also had canoes and kayaks there, too. But no more. The water district or town gave permission to a trapper allowing him to trap in the meadow. Now, there are no more beaver, ducks, etc. The beaver and otter used to eat the tubulars off the cattails which kept them under natural control. Now, without these animals, the entire meadow is getting taken over by these plants and has disturbed the natural balance. Additionally, the beaver used to build dams that would keep the water in the meadow, allowing fish, duck, heron, etc. to flourish. But not any more since the trappings.

Please stop the trapping to rectify the situation and bring back the beaver, otter and other wildlife.

My property abuts the land trust's land that runs basically from Lobster Cove to the golf course. Some of the trails run right along the meadow and hikers used to be able to view plentiful wildlife ... but not since the trapping has been allowed.

Folks in the region should be aware of what’s going on here and help return the meadow to its natural and bountiful state.

Richard Perry
Boothbay Harbor