Winter tends to be a good time to think nice things about beavers, especially once the rain turns to snow and things are too frozen to cause a problem for a while. I really enjoyed reading this appreciative column from master naturalist Shannon Brennan in Virginia.

For Love of Nature: Beavers busy sculpting along James River

On a recent warm winter’s day, Michael and I headed for our favorite local trail at Matt’s Creek, across the James River Foot Bridge on U.S. 501. We were soon greeted by an amazing wooden sculpture, with shavings all around the base of a tree that would soon topple to the ground.

Other trees had already been felled, telltale signs that beavers had been busily gnawing along the banks of the James River, both to eat the bark and potentially use the tree for a dam, though there was no sign of a dam or lodge in the vicinity.

Beavers munch on small saplings and very large trees, leaving many people to decry the damage, but the damage humans inflict on trees pales in comparison. I prefer to call it beaver art.

We couldn’t agree more Shannon! In fact there are two beaver chews by my hearthside right now! I personally know several people who collect and take photos of them. The one I shared yesterday still happens to be my favorite.

While it’s true that damming creeks in urban areas, like Blackwater Creek, can interfere with water and sewer lines and exacerbate flooding, beavers are important parts of natural ecosystems.

Early residents of this continent considered beavers sacred because they create wetlands, the key to life for many species. Almost half of endangered and threatened species in North America rely upon wetlands, which also soak up floodwaters, alleviate droughts and floods, lessen erosion, raise the water table and purify water.

Although I’ve seen signs of beavers for years, I’ve yet to spot one. They are largely nocturnal and stealthy.

I wish you had come to Martinez a decade ago and been able to watch entire families gathered together on the bridge to watch our beavers working and playing with each other. You would have been so happy.

Beavers rarely overpopulate because they breed only once a year and defend large streamside territories from other beavers. Trapping beavers often fails because removal stimulates larger litters among those left behind.

For me, it’s always a thrill to see where beavers have been busily chomping or sliding into a creek or river. I don’t have to see the animals to know that they are alive and well and doing their sacred duty.

I’m with you, Shannon. i think beaver sign is a wonderful secret handshake that tells people in the know that something dramatic is going right with that creek or waterway. Thank you so much for being happy about beavers. It doesn’t happen very often but it’s always a wonderful thing to behold.

Speaking of friendly words about beavers. since October I’ve been keeping a spreadsheet of the folks who contact me thru the website to ask about their beavers or how to save/introduce/or advocate for them. I’m always surprised how far afield these contacts come from, and I thought you’d be interested in the visual.