Leave it to Beaver?

I have been thinking quite a bit about beavers lately. For one thing, they are leaving their mark (literally!) along some of the trails at Kokanee Creek lately!

Beavers have often been seen as a nuisance – flooding fields and roads, chewing down trees, and generally making a mess of our tidy world. But beavers have been making the news lately as allies in mitigating climate change and conserving water. If a beaver hears running water, it is moved to block the flow with mud and sticks. Because beavers make dams, they create ponds that store water, and provide homes for many animals from moose to fish to fungi, birds and so many more living things. But their activities slow the loss of carbon to the atmosphere too. And they were there all along, just carrying on stoically without checking in with us. Beavers are being re-introduced to landscapes where they were once abundant. It is well past time to say thank you to the beavers, and to lend a helping hand where we can.

The trail cameras at Kokanee Creek have captured some cool videos of beavers doing things. I have shared the links for some below. Enjoy! Oh, and go out and get acquainted with your local beavers if you can – if they are not too busy!

Photos, writing and videos copyright J.A. Siderius 2024. Just ask if you’d like to use the materials in this post.