The Most Industrious Rodent
By Meg Waller, Restoration Manager | Bark
Many of the rivers we love to travel are supported by beavers. While beavers are certainly having a moment in the spotlight, many people still don’t know some of the key benefits of sharing our rivers with the most industrious rodent.
Most people know that beavers' primary construction focus is dams but I’m often asked why they feel called to build them. “Meg, why do beavers hate flowing water?!” Building a dam in a stream has cascading benefits for beavers, the ecosystem and all its inhabitants, including humans.
A beaver dam.
First, the water upstream of the dam backs up, creating a pond which increases the water depth and also how much area it covers. These ponds spread out beyond the stream's original footprint creating more space for a myriad of creatures from amphibians to birds to bugs. These ponds and wetlands increase biodiversity of plant life, especially water-loving plants like willow, aspen, alder and red osier dogwood (some of beavers favorite foods).
Water is also heavy and the increased weight of the pond pushes water through the sediment, trapping contaminants on its way to refill the aquifer. This increase in water both above and below ground benefits surrounding forests and grasslands, increases availability of water for drinking water and agriculture (and paddling!) and creates vital refuges during wildfires.
A mountain wetland, thanks to the Beavers.
Not only does the wetland provide a fire break and safe space for creatures during fires, it also acts as a seed bank for repopulating vegetation after fires subside.
Particularly in the western US, where water tends to be much scarcer, beavers are vital allies in the struggle to conserve limited precipitation. Even in Portland and other places in the rainy Western Cascades, a drying climate means we need beavers more than ever.
Barks Restoration Program focuses on getting more beavers back on Mt. Hood National Forest so they can do the good work of protecting and restoring the ecosystems we all cherish. Check out Bark’s event calendar for Beaver Habitat Surveys (starting in June!) as well as upcoming beaver-focused paddling excursions!
Meg Waller the beaver saver says thanks for caring!
Beavers as Allies
https://bark-out.org/beavers-as-allies/