I noticed this in a routine email update from our Extension Agent. Has anyone ever tried painting the bottom part of desirable trees with a paint & sand mix to deter beaver damage?

I'm curious to see if anyone has tried it. After hearing about it quite a while back I have been recommending it for years to clients in lieu of a bunch of wire wrapped around a tree that looks pretty ugly. I had recommended latex exterior paint and sand mix, using paint that closely matches the color of the tree bark.

Sand paint does not work. As trees grow paint cracks and falls off. Needs to be re-applied.

If you had to reapply each year not a problem. Had a place where they had and angled tree with wire up 4 feet. Beaver chewed it off at 4 1/2 feet.

I know the paint would need to be re-applied. If it is effective, the question would be how often it needs to be re-applied.

Trees expand each year. Many AR groups promote this. Re apply most likely yearly. Also does not stop all chewing.
Don

Yearly was my guess too.

Beavers don’t mind a little dirt. Won’t even significantly slow them down. Smell of paint might deter them for a week or two though.

Must have been some hard, deep snow.