What do you know? Yesterday was ‘World Wetlands Day”. Gosh if there were ONLY an animal that made and maintained wetlands everywhere for free! But that’s a crazy thought. It’s not like the World Wildlife Fund or any of the big money conservation groups know about that at all.

You’ll not in this poster Wetlands clearly make homes for beavers. Not the other way around.

The good news is there are still a few clear=sighted heads in this topsy turvy world. Like Mike Settell for instance.

Volunteers count beaver population in Mink Creek area

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) – A group in Pocatello is trying to increase the beaver population in local wildlife areas.

“Beaver fill such an important role in the ecosystem and the watershed in general, that they are really undervalued in terms of what they do,” said Mike Settell, theexecutive director of Watershed Guardians.

Watershed Guardians is a local conservation non-profit focused on helping the American Beaver thrive in southeast Idaho.

On Saturday, volunteers gathered for the ninth annual beaver count at the East Fork Mink Creek area. Beavers are an integral part of ecosystems. They help control floods, suppress wildfires and improve water quality.

“They’re really good for supporting native fisheries, especially Yellowstone cutthroat (trout),” Settell said.

Oh Mike, Mike Mike. You are the hero of EPIC proportions. I am so glad you have done this important work for nine years.

Settell said the group hopes to decrease the amount of beaver trapping in the area.

“We think by showcasing all the amazing things that beaver can do for our community, we can try to shift that discussion and shift that paradigm,” Settell said. Beavers are mostly trapped due to being nuisances. They don’t have a high commercial value, according to Settell.

“In order to fix (a) really really small problem, they have to trap out colony after colony after colony. What that does is makes it more and more difficult for the colony to re-establish,” Settell said.

With the help of a passionate community, Watershed Guardians is helping beavers make a come-back.

Nicely done. Again. For the ninth time. Thank goodness for little sparks of light like Mike!