ROGERS -- A busy beaver and not an act of vandalism probably took down five small trees at Lake Atalanta Park last week.
"We heard things, rumors of vandalism," Jim White, Rogers Parks and Recreation director, said Wednesday. "But those reports are unsubstantiated."
The trees were damaged in the south part of the park near the pavilions where the site of the renovated park's opening took place a month ago. Only stumps remain. The damage cost the city is estimated at $750.
Rogers' Twitter page Tuesday tweeted a photo of a damaged tree with the message: "We've had 7-10 trees vandalized at Lake Atalanta in the past week. We need everyone to help take care of our park!"
City officials assumed vandalism based on a report by a park visitor of suspicious activity by another person near a tree, Ben Cline, public relations coordinator for the city, said Wednesday. They want to refrain from placing blame because they have inconclusive evidence and have yet to spot the beaver, Cline said.
Capt. Brian McKinzie with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission inspected the damage with Rogers trails coordinator Rick Hightower on Wednesday morning.
The culprit is clear to him.
"I have no doubt it was a beaver. I'm 100 percent positive," McKinzie said. "It doesn't surprise me, I've seen it for so long."
The 235-acre park has different ecosystems across its landscape, which support a variety of wildlife. Beavers have lived in the lake area in the past, although none have been spotted recently, Cline said.
McKinzie said beaver-inflicted damage to the lake area is so common he once had a PowerPoint presentation on the subject, but that doesn't mean there is a large beaver population.
"It doesn't take a lot of beavers to create damage," he said.
The missing trees give the most obvious sign of beaver participation in the Rogers case, McKinzie said. He suspects the trees moved under water as part of a dam.
The trees likely would have remained on site if humans had cut them down, since they would have little purpose without their roots systems. The sharp angles of the cuts -- different than the straight-across pattern of an ax swing -- also make a beaver the main suspect, McKinzie said.
Damage to nearby shrubs and bushes also points to a beaver, he said.
A satirical Facebook group entitled "Save Bart the Beaver" appeared Tuesday.
"Bart the Beaver lives in Lake Atalanta and is building a home. But now, he has been called out by local enforcement," the page description said.
It had 72 followers by Wednesday afternoon. Visitors to the page commented about seeing "Bart's handiwork at Lake Atalanta" and speculating whether the nocturnal rodent could use legal help.
McKinzie jokingly said he was apprehensive about backlash from the public, such as the Facebook group, for speaking with the media.
Rogers Parks and Recreation is working with Arkansas Game and Fish on a solution, White said. Trapping and moving the beaver or surrounding the base of trees with wire and mesh are possible.
McKinzie said this won't be the last time Lake Atalanta Park sees damage from the nocturnal suspects.
"They'll keep coming back every night," he said.
Meanwhile, the Rogers Police Department "has officers conducting extra patrol of the park to try to keep an eye on it," said Keith Foster, public information officer.
NW News on 12/01/2016