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BeaverCON: A Biennial International Conference
BeaverCON 2024 will occur at the University of Colorado (CU) – Boulder from October 19-24, 2024.
The 3rd biennial global gathering for knowledge-sharing, restoration and reunion with beaver (castor canadensis / castor fiber), featuring presentations, discussion, panels, storytelling, science & art, field trips, and workshops over five days. The conference is an opportunity for multiple paths, organizations, disciplines, and experiences to converge and collectively learn from, relate to, and realize a future of ecological balance with beavers.
The main conference is Monday, October 21, Tuesday, October 22 & Wednesday, October 23 with wraparound activities on October 19, 20 & 24. Please be sure to sign up for our newsletter for early announcements on speakers and information surrounding our workshops, field trips, etc.
After record interest (double the attendence of 2022!), we are unfortunately sold out for this year’s BeaverCON. However, we have started a waitlist as a few tickets may become available as we get get closer to the conference. Please join our waitlist below!
BeaverCON 2024 Schedule
The schedule for this year’s conference is now live! Updates will be made as they become available. Any questions can be directed to beavercon2024@gmail.com.
BeaverCON Sponsorship
We’re now accepting conference sponsors at all levels. For more info please email beavercon2024@gmail.com.
Beaver Coexistence Workshop
with Mike Callahan
Thursday, October 24 // 9a – 12p
Learn all about nonlethal beaver conflict resolution from the people who’ve installed more successful flow devices than anyone in the world. With Mike Callahan, his Beaver Solutions team & select BeaverCorps members — you’ll learn successful flow device theory, design & installation techniques, with hands-on building opportunities. Must be a BeaverCON attendee to register. $175
BeaverCON Hotels
Room blocks are reserved at Embassy Suites and Hilton Garden Inn. Please book before September 27 to receive our group’s preferred rate. Parking is $16 per night.
BeaverCON 2024 Field Trips
CAMERON PEAK WILDFIRE FIELD TRIPSOLD OUT
Saturday, October 19 // Full day
Join University of Minnesota ecohydrologist Dr. Emily Fairfax as she leads a tour of the 2020 Cameron Peak Wildfire burn scars. After a megafire ripped through this remote landscape, Dr. Fairfax and a team of scientists determined beaver dam and canal-building activity resisted fire destruction and may be key in future wildfire mitigation and restoration. This site is not suitable for people with limited mobility. Transportation and lunch included.
URBAN BEAVER FIELD TRIP
Sunday, October 20 // Full day
Beavers in the city? You bet. Join us for a tour of several urban beaver sites in and around Boulder, Colorado with instructors expanding upon the science, conservation, coexistence, and restoration of beaver populations within city limits. Most sites are accessible by people who use a wheelchair or have limited mobility. Transportation and lunch included.
Facilitators: Emily Fairfax (University of Minnesota), Sarah Marshall (Colorado Natural Heritage Program), Preston Brown (The Boulder Watershed Collective), Casey Lyons (Friends of Coal Creek) & Aaron Hall (Beaver Institute)
Venues: Big Dry Creek, Valmont Ponds, Left Hand Creek & Coal Creek
WETLAND BEAVER FIELD TRIPSOLD OUT
Thursday, October 24 // Full day
Sarah Marshall, an ecohydrologist at Colorado State University’s Colorado Natural Heritage Program, will lead a site visit of the Arapaho Ranch area in nearby Nederland, Colorado. This beaver wetland habitat offers a firsthand look at the successes and failures of beaver management, restoration and coexistence. This field trip is not suitable for people with limited mobility. Transportation and lunch included.
Get to Know BeaverCON
In recent years an increasing body of knowledge has demonstrated the many benefits of beavers, as well as innovative, cost-effective methods to manage them. North America’s most valuable Keystone species, the beaver, can naturally restore healthy streams and watersheds, improve water quality and storage, combat climate change, increase biodiversity and even recover endangered species, including salmon.
The vision for BeaverCON is to bring professionals, practitioners, and others dealing with beaver issues and wetland restoration together on to share the latest research and best management practices for “Nature’s Engineer”, the North American beaver.
BeaverCON 2020
Our inaugural conference, BeaverCON 2020, was held March 3 – 5, 2020 near Baltimore, MD. It was a huge success with over 160 attendees from North America and Europe. At the conference it was clear,”…across more than 30 presentations at BeaverCon, one theme consistently emerged: We humans need a major re-education on the place of beavers in our landscape (with the exception of many Indigenous peoples who have maintained traditional ecological knowledge). Western society needs more beaver believers, which is to say, we need to rethink the path towards healthy watersheds.” Read more coverage of BeaverCON 2020 from Jennifer Sherry’s post (NRDC).
For conference photos, additional speaker information and a list of our sponors please visit the BeaverCON archives.
BeaverCON 2022
Our second conference, BeaverCON 2022, was held June 13-16, 2022 near Baltimore, MD. We had 200 attendees with 48 presenters from the United States, Canada, Wales, the Netherlands, and England. A wrap-up video details the highlights of the conference.
BeaverCON 2022 highlighted the important connection between beavers and climate resilience. Beaver-created wetlands boost climate resilience by increasing biodiversity, storing water that recharges groundwater while creating natural wildfire breaks, reducing storm flood events, and more!
Many presentations are available to watch from both 2020 and 2022 on our Beaver Institute YouTube Channel.
“BeaverCON brings together the newest ideas in beaver ecology and management, and the people who make things happen.”