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In the Pacific Northwest, beavers increase resilience to wildfire and drought. They do so by creating natural fire breaks and by increasing groundwater storage.

In the Pacific Northwest, beavers increase resilience to wildfire and drought. They do so by creating natural fire breaks and by increasing groundwater storage. They also do this in a way that also creates fish habitat and deeper pools that coldwater fish like trout and salmon can take advantage of to survive lower water years. They're really ecologically important, and while some may complain that they fall trees, that's actually very beneficial in the west where we have forest fires that burn far more trees than any beavers could hope to destroy to build their structures. This is not just for the northwest, but other drought and fire-prone western regions (Oregon, Colorado). TL;DR Our elimination of beavers is exacerbating the problems of drought and fire in the american west. Good video from PBS's Terra series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lT5W32xRN4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lT5W32xRN4

westurner 5y ago
"Leave It to Beavers" (2018) PBS Nature [53m] https://g.co/kgs/5yA9R5 https://g.co/kgs/5yA9R5 : > A growing number of scientists, conservationists and grass-roots environmentalists have come to regard beavers as overlooked tools when it comes to reversing the disastrous effects of global warming and world-wide water shortages. Once valued for their fur or hunted as pests, these industrious rodents are seen in a new light through the eyes of this novel assembly of beaver enthusiasts and “employers” who reveal the ways in which the presence of beavers can transform and revive landscapes. Using their skills as natural builders and brilliant hydro-engineers, beavers are being recruited to accomplish everything from finding water in a bone-dry desert to recharging water tables and coaxing life back into damaged lands. Apparently beavers are attracted to the sound of running water.

westurner 5y ago

"Leave It to Beavers" (2018) PBS Nature [53m] https://g.co/kgs/5yA9R5 https://g.co/kgs/5yA9R5 : > A growing number of scientists, conservationists and grass-roots environmentalists have come to regard beavers as overlooked tools when it comes to reversing the disastrous effects of global warming and world-wide water shortages. Once valued for their fur or hunted as pests, these industrious rodents are seen in a new light through the eyes of this novel assembly of beaver enthusiasts and “employers” who reveal the ways in which the presence of beavers can transform and revive landscapes. Using their skills as natural builders and brilliant hydro-engineers, beavers are being recruited to accomplish everything from finding water in a bone-dry desert to recharging water tables and coaxing life back into damaged lands. Apparently beavers are attracted to the sound of running water.