Did this actually slip by me in October? If not it’s worth talking about again Never mind that people from YALE cannot tell the difference between a photo of a nutria and a photo of a beaver. I won’t share it here. The writing is very very good. And I’ll definitely share that.
Busy beavers: Calculating the value of ecosystems services provided by beavers.
There are two species that have fundamentally changed rivers in the United States: humans and beavers. Beavers are an integral force in shaping the ecosystems around them. Their dams may not look like more than an impressive mound of gnawed sticks, twigs, and logs, but in reality, they provide a long list of benefits to both their immediate surroundings and to humans downstream. (more…)