A nice article emerged from Wildlife Defenders yesterday but the CDFW news took precedence. Now we can settle down and enjoy it in earnest.

Traditional Farming Communities Coexist with Beavers

By building dams and lodges, beavers are considered ecosystem engineers. Their dams raise water levels, slow water speed and change water direction, which can increase wetland size, enhance wildlife and plant diversity, improve water quality and maintain stable water temperatures. Beaver ponds provide habitat for freshwater fish, migratory birds, amphibians and other wetland species.

Importantly for the hot, dry Southwest, beavers can play a significant role in addressing climate change and the biodiversity crisis. But beavers can also sometimes cause trouble for irrigators and property owners. However, there are solutions that allow humans to coexist with this furry engineer. (more…)