“The eagle may soar; beavers build dams.” – Bill Vaughan
Happy International Beaver Day from Project Jatropha! International Beaver Day is celebrated on April 7 each year.
It is celebrated in raising awareness of the importance of beavers. Did you know that beavers live in ponds, lakes, rivers, marshes, and streams? Beavers can contribute to the environment by establishing and maintaining wetlands through beaver dams. These beaver dams hold more water than streams and as a result, the beaver wetlands become natural fire breaks. Beaver ponds are habitats to amphibians, mammal, fish species, especially coho and steelhead salmon. They are known as “ecosystem engineers” because they alter and maintain habitat and ecosystems. Here’s how it works. The first thing beavers do is bring wood into the water, which provides food and shelter for critters and salmon. Inside the beaver lodges, there is home for other animals such as muskrats, mink, and river otters. The beaver ponds aid in improving water quality because they act like water filters, which filter out pollutants and preserve nutrients. They also aid in storing sediment, which eventually transform ponds into beaver meadows. But, there are many ways we can help save the beavers by supporting organizations that support beavers such as the Green Beaver Company, which aids in protecting beavers and other wildlife. Just keep in mind that beavers are significant to maintaining and establishing wetlands, so let’s work together and help save the beavers.
(n.a., Why do beavers build the most amazing dams?, Weiler Woods for Wildlife, n.d., https://weilerwoodsforwildlife.com/why-do-beavers-build-dams/. 7 April, 2023)
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