Finds that beavers have historically played a significant role in maintaining the health of watersheds in the Pacific Northwest and act as key agents in riparian ecology. The live trapping and relocating of beavers has long been recognized as a beneficial wildlife management practice, and has been successfully utilized to restore and maintain stream ecosystems for over fifty years.

Declares that the benefits of active beaver populations include reduced stream sedimentation, stream temperature moderation, higher dissolved oxygen levels, overall improved water quality, increased natural water storage capabilities within watersheds, and reduced stream velocities.

Finds that relocating beavers into their historic habitat provides a natural mechanism for improving the environmental conditions in Washington's riparian ecosystems without having to resort to governmental regulation or expensive publicly funded engineering projects.

Provides that, whenever the department undertakes the trapping of nuisance or problem-causing beavers, the department must, if the option is available, capture the beavers with a live trap and work with the holders of beaver relocation permits issued under this act to relocate the beavers onto properties that have requested their placement.