I am not always excited about stories where people make BDAS and pat themselves on the back for acting like beavers after killing all the real ones. But this story gets it right. Enjoy!

Beavers do it best. Humans recreate the animal’s engineering to restore a waterway in Sweetwater County

If you’re too busy to listen, here’s my favorite part:

Lush, green vegetation is surrounding the creek. There’s large pools of water. Baby ducks swimming. Fish darting.

“We built a small beaver dam and that was probably a foot or so,” Walrath said as he pointed it out. “Then the beavers have built a four to five foot dam, kind of on top, and now it’s nearly up to grade of where the stream used to be historically.”

Nick Walrath stands in the oasis-like part of the project. This is where they built the first imitation beaver dams and have had success in vegetation growth, stream restoration and beavers moving back in.

That’s the vision: Build the man-made dams. Restore the waterway’s health. Have the beavers take over. It’s a cycle Walrath thinks could play out over the next decade or so.

As long as you promise to let them make whatever changes to your vision they see fit.