Because the beaver isn't just an animal; it's an ecosystem!

Category: Beavers


Great article from Wildlife Defenders who have been beaver believers since way back in the Sherri Tippie days.

United by Water, Helped by Beavers

In the upper reaches of the Rio Quemado lies the small village of Cordova. At the edge of town lives Emilio Borrego, a young farmer with a passion for all things farming and wildlife, especially fruit trees and beavers. Emilio is assisting Defenders with community outreach about beavers and how to coexist with them.

When not farming, Emilio spends his time helping people to conserve water during their farming operations and promoting beavers for more reliable water resources. He also encourages participation in Defenders’ beaver coexistence cost share program for anyone needing help mitigating a beaver-human conflict.

Beavers and water security. What a great phrase. I want to print it on all our faucets.

In the Southwest, as a result of climate change, many perennial rivers now run dry during parts of the year. The Rio Quemado is one such river. Originating from the snows of Truchas Peak, this river supports diverse wildlife, as well as numerous traditional acequia farming communities.

Acequia farming in Northern New Mexico dates back to Spanish colonization. These small-scale farmers divert water via ditches — or acequias in Spanish — to irrigate their crop fields far from rivers. One of these farmers, Don Bustos, uses acequia farming to grow and sell asparagus, blackberries, chilis and more. All his produce is sold within a 25-mile radius of his farm in Chimayo, New Mexico. For Don, and other acequia farmers, an abundant water supply not only provides a living, but also sustains a unique, treasured way of life.

To sustain this culture, as well as provide ample water for wildlife, our team is installing beaver dam analogues along the Rio Quemado. Beaver dam analogues are human-made structures that do their best to mimic beaver dams. Each beaver dam and analogue causes water to pond, which in turn allows the surrounding soils to soak up water like a sponge during high flows. Then, during the summer, when flows are low, this water seeps out of the soil and back into the river, helping it flow year-round. In areas where beaver habitat is no longer present – due to a variety of factors, including depleted water tables and a corresponding lack of vegetation for food – the analogues also help to restore habitat and encourage beavers to move in, improve upon and sustain our restoration efforts.

Let the beavers do the work. It’s ready for primetime and coming to an Acequia near you.

The primary goal of our beaver dam analogues and community outreach work is to sustain year-round water flows from Truchas Peak to the Rio Grande. On its way down the mountain, the Rio Quemado flows into the Santa Cruz River. The Santa Cruz River in turn flows downstream, eventually joining the Rio Grande.

We cannot achieve our goal without our indigenous partners at the Santa Clara Pueblo, which is a federally recognized tribe and sovereign nation located at the confluence of the Santa Cruz River and the Rio Grande. The people living in its over 2,000 residences are descendants of the Ancestral Puebloans, the original indigenous culture that thrived in the Southwest and whose ancestral dwellings are found throughout the area, including at Mesa Verde National Park and Chaco Canyon National Historical Park. Daniel Denipah, the Pueblo’s Forestry Department Director, has overseen impressive restoration work throughout the 90 square mile reservation.

Just remember that BDAs aren’t nearly as good as beavers. They never even repair themselves after washing out!

Now, in partnership with Defenders, he and his team are working to restore ecological function to a stretch of the Santa Cruz River that runs dry every summer. We will install beaver dam analogues together, which combined with the outreach work being conducted upstream, will help achieve our water conservation goals.

In the future, we wish to stand along the mighty Rio Grande, look up at Truchas peak and know that, with the help of beavers, the rocky rivers cascading down it are now flowing year-round, providing abundant water for both wildlife and people.

Beavers are up for their job. Let them help.


I love the look and sound of this event. I have always wanted to live in a beaverhood. Haven’t you?

Building a Beaver HOOD Overview, Orientation, and Field Training

Join us for this thematic overview and hands-on workshop where the Beaver Works Oregon team will introduce the “BeaverHOODs” concept and educate on the purpose and execution of our beaver habitat restoration efforts in Central and Eastern Oregon.

If you’re planning to participate in a Spring beaver habitat field project, please be sure to also sign up for this training day. It will be useful!

This workshop will be around two hours and take place half indoors (presentation) and half outdoors (training) at The Environmental Center. RSVP to reserve your spot!

Oh my goodness! I want to be part of the BEAERHOOD! Where do I sign up?


I got excited even reading the headline of this letter to the editor from Wisconsin. I’m sure you’ll feel the same way,

Celebrate nature’s ecosystem engineers

Dear Editor: International Beaver Day, celebrated April 7, highlights the ecological and human benefits of beavers and advocates for their scientific management to maintain healthy watersheds.

These industrious animals are expert water managers, a critical skill as Wisconsin faces increasing drought. Since 2020, Wisconsin has become drier, ranging from “abnormally dry” to “drought” ratings, threatening public health and safety. Intense but less frequent rain events further exacerbate drought and flooding issues for Wisconsinites.

Great start to a beaver believer letter. Are you hooked yet?

Beavers create complex wetland ecosystems that provide key benefits:

• Increased groundwater recharge. By slowing surface water flow, beavers help replenish groundwater. In Wisconsin, 70% of residents and 97% of communities rely on groundwater for drinking water, and 92% of farms use groundwater for irrigation.

• Flood prevention. Beaver wetlands slow stormwater surges from major rain events. Beaver structures attenuate downstream flooding by as much as 60%, protecting roads, homes, and farms from flood damage.

• Reduced wildfire risk. Beavers’ wetland complexes maintain high moisture levels in soils and vegetation, creating a natural barrier against the spread of wildfires. The deadliest wildfires in U.S. history occurred in the northland —Peshtigo, Hinkley and Cloquet. Wisconsin’s drying forests remain vulnerable to wildfires.

Beavers will be a hot topic this year in our state. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is updating the management plan for beavers. Hopefully best available science on beavers as a keystone species, as well as the climate resilience that beavers provide to Wisconsinites, will be accounted for in the new plan.

Amy Mueller

Dousman

Outstanding Amy! Just remember that Wisconsin is one of two states that regularly blows up beaver dams to make sure trout have an easy stroll upstream. They even believe there are more beavers than the was before the settlers got there.

We need lots more letters like this.


Time for a state fossil in Minnesota. What? You didn’t know there was such a thing? Well listen up.

Giant beaver could become Minnesota’s official state fossil this year

A bill before lawmakers would name the Castoroides Ohioensis, also known as the giant beaver, as Minnesota’s official state fossil.

The giant beaver became extinct around 10,000 years ago, but once reached lengths of up to 7 feet and weighed up to 200 pounds. As the largest rodent ever in North America, it also would have existed with the first people ever to settle in Minnesota, according to a representative from the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Minnesota is one of only four states without a current state fossil designation.

Wait just a doggone minute there. Does California have a state fossil? Why yes it does. The saber-toothed cat, Okay I guess it’s a thing.

What they’re saying:

“I see state symbols as a wonderful educational opportunity, where we can introduce new things to our kids as they’re growing up,” said Dr. Alex Hastings of the Science Museum of Minnesota during the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee on Thursday.

According to Hastings, the science museum carried a vote two years ago in order to make a nomination decision on what the fossil should be, with the giant beaver receiving more than 11,000 submissions.

Minnesota is currently one of only four states that does not have a designated state fossil.

“There was a very clear winner – none other than the giant beaver,” Hastings said before the committee. “One of the fascinating things about this animal is not only was it the largest rodent ever in North America, it also would have existed with the first people settling in Minnesota. There’s even some folklore that suggests some personal interactions with them.

I first heard about this a while ago when Emily Fairfax posted about the castoroides brew label being developed in St Paul.

I guess if you spend sometime promoting what beavers are NOT anymore you might be able to highlight all that they are.

A skeleton of the giant beaver is currently on display at the Science Museum of Minnesota – found just seven miles from St. Paul, Hastings said.

Historians believe the giant beaver was far larger than the current common beaver – reaching lengths of up to 7 feet and weighing up to 200 pounds.

Common beavers seen today are around 31 to 47 inches in length, and weigh around 24 to 66 pounds.

The bill would also include indigenous translations as part of the designation.

Well I guess it’s going to happen. I love my castoroides skull. Maybe now school children will collect them!

Unlike modern beavers that make dams and lodges, scientists believe the giant beaver was unable to adapt to the changing landscape.

What’s next:The bill was laid over by the committee on Thursday for possible inclusion in a larger collection of bills – known as an omnibus bill – to be approved later in the legislative session.


St Patrick is celebrated for driving the snakes out of Ireland. Maybe Starlight Baptist church will be remembered for trapping the beavers out of Alabama.

Beaver builds a dam that floods Starlight Baptist Church

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) – Starlight Baptist Church has a unique pest problem. Beavers have made a dam underneath a railroad sewage drain causing flooding in the area.

The Original Starlight Baptist Church was established In 1867. The church will be celebrating its 158th anniversary this coming weekend. Pastor Joseph Barren Sr. told Fox 10 how concerning this flooding is starting to become.

“We have this problem this flooding problem. Out of the 26 years I have been here I’ve never had this much water before. I had no idea that beavers were out there, but this is what I was informed that this was a beaver problem that was causing the dam up under the railroad track.”

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