Beaver Library

Rivers and streams, when fully connected to their floodplains, are naturally resilient systems that are increasingly part of the conversation on nature-based climate solutions. Reconnecting waterways to their floodplains improves water quality and quantity, supports biodiversity and sensitive species conservation, increases flood, drought and fire resiliency, and bolsters carbon sequestration. But, while the importance of river restoration is clear, beaver-based restoration—for example, strategic coexistence, relocation, and mimicry—remains an underutilized strategy despite ample data demonstrating its efficacy. Climate-driven disturbances are actively pushing streams into increasingly degraded states, and the window of opportunity for restoration will not stay open forever. Therefore, now is the perfect time to apply the science of beaver-based low-tech process-based stream restoration to support building climate resilience across the landscape. Not every stream will be a good candidate for beaver-based restoration, but we have the tools to know which ones are. Let us use them.

For this article, the researchers examined sites with evidence of new beaver pond colonization in the Arctic. Snowmelt is occurring, which is reducing permafrost and creating ideal habitat conditions for beavers. Beaver populations are now in competition with native ptarmigans. Tape et. al. suggest that beaver ranges are expanding rapidly in the Alaskan arctic.

A study that suggests a high density of the biological signaling field is a sign of possible depletion of food resources, and can explain how beavers can have such a large range.

A review that investigates the mechanisms by which beavers act as ecosystem engineers, and then discusses the possible impacts of beavers on the biodiversity of Scotland.

This first webinar in the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) co-hosted six-part webinar series on beaver restoration details how beaver affect the land and the hydrologic impacts from loss of beaver through various hunting, trapping and removal activities. The webinar shared the role that beavers and beaver dam analogs (BDAs) can play in stream restoration.

Research and monitoring activities over a 45-year period on the Quabbin Reservation in Massachusetts have provided an opportunity to follow changes in numbers and dynamics of an unexploited beaver population.

Mike Callahan, President of the nonprofit Beaver Institute discusses beavers, their value, and how to successfully manage beaver problems when they occur. Mike also shares information on the Connecticut Beaver Initiative (CBI) a new grant program to help landowners resolve human-beaver conflicts nonlethally.

A 44 minute Baltimore Sun podcast by Dan Rodricks on beavers and their impact. He interviews beaver experts Frances Backhouse, Mike Callahan, and Scott McGill on the history, present management and future of beavers in North America. Recorded in Feb. 2, 2018

A 3 minute educational video on beavers that is geared to children.

How beavers affect the biodiversity in their ecosystem

The potential role of beavers in mitigating wildfire impacts on stream ecosystems

This time lapse camera video shows chum salmon at Chico Creek navigating a beaver dam.