Artificial beaver dams are a hot restoration strategy, but the projects aren’t always welcome.

A new study concludes that, by building dams, forming ponds, and digging canals, beavers irrigate vast stream corridors and create fireproof refuges in which plants and animals can shelter. In some cases, the rodents’ engineering can even stop fire in its tracks.

Learn about nature’s most ingenious engineers with Ben Goldfarb, author of “Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter.”

“Eager” is a wonderfully written and entertaining book that blends of in-depth knowledge of beavers and their environmental importance, with many stories about “Beaver Believers” who are committed to promoting beaver coexistence. 2018