Beavers are a unique animal in that they deliberately work to change their environment. They fell trees, thinning out forests. They dam up rivers and creeks with their constructions and create ponds. The environment got along fine with all this, but then people moved in and wanted to alter the land for our own purposes. Beaver were hunted to a fraction their previous numbers, and over decades, the wild land became more crowded, less productive, and less diverse in species.
We've learned since then how beneficial beavers were. The ponds they build create habitats for many other species. Their tree-cutting creates room for new growth, and the wetlands they create are natural firebreaks. Bringing back the beavers, nature's environmental engineers, can help restore the earth to its natural cycles of renewal.
#beaver #ecosystem #environment