Here’s something to be grateful for. I meant to write about this months ago but it sat in my “potential posts” folder for so long because there was a glut of beaver good news. Now we can finally get caught up to this important news.

Human-Beaver Coexistence Fund

The Human Beaver Coexistence Fund (HBCF) will educate the public about the benefits of coexisting with beavers and provide resources and financial support to address human-beaver conflict using nonlethal management strategies.

We will accomplish this mission by establishing a cost-share incentive program to help landowners and managers pay for beaver coexistence projects of two types: tree protection and flow device installation.

We currently serve Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., and West Virginia, with plans to expand our reach throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Well now! This is off to a great start! I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. HBCF does education and classroom visits as well as hands on intervention. I would like to see them get some more friends and even better resources on the landscape. They know why this matters.

Why beavers matter

Coexisting with beavers provides many benefits for humans, native plants and wildlife, and the landscape, including: Stream repair restoration Erosion reduction Increased biodiversity Creation of habitat for wetland species, including some whose conservation status is under threat Beaver ponds recharge aquifers and stabilize the water table Beaver dams regulate stream flow which in turn mitigates…

• Stream repair restoration
• Erosion reduction
• Increased biodiversity
• Creation of habitat for wetland species, including some whose conservation status is under threat
• Beaver ponds recharge aquifers and stabilize the water table
• Beaver dams regulate stream flow which in turn mitigates flooding
• Beaver dams also improve water quality by filtering pollutants and sediment
• Beaver-created wetlands play a role in helping to mitigate certain effects of climate change, such as increasingly frequent severe weather events that result in major floods, droughts, and wildfires.

Yes definitely all those things. Good luck on your endeavor. My hope is that municipalities recognize soon that beavers do such important work for us they make sure programs like yours are fully funded.