The Work of the Beavers
By Chris Fox, Land Stewardship Director
As we pulled the carts loaded with tools and lumber through the flooded wetlands at Beanblossom Bottoms, we counted the beaver chew sticks floating on the surface of the water. The chiseled sticks appeared to have been carved by a woodworker and indeed were, but not by one with a chisel in hand, rather by iron-fortified incisors and furry feet. The flotilla of bark-stripped limbs and twigs ranged in size from smaller than a pencil to larger than a walking stick. The whittled sticks tell a story of a past winter’s meal like corn cobs after a summer’s picnic. Sometime last fall, our resident beaver family likely took a break from their never-ending dam construction and maintenance job to begin the important work of caching away a winter supply of food.
The beaver lodge at Beanblossom Bottoms Nature Preserve on a beautiful winter day. Photo by Chris Fox
Beavers will store fresh-cut snack sticks in the bottom of their pond or creek with the tips buried in the muck near the entrance to their lodge. The stockpile of food reserves provides important sustenance for the beaver family during the harsh winter months when getting to their food source is more dangerous and difficult due to the ice and snow. Beavers feed primarily on the inner bark of trees and shrubs and prefer to access that food source via water for both safety and ease of transportation of the woody material. Thus the industrious builders create dams to flood areas and to gain access into areas beyond the reach of the beaver pond often build a maze of canals earning them the title of ecosystem engineers and hardest working stewards. Sorry, Land Stewards Ben and Noah!
Beaver activity at Beanblossom Bottoms is restoring vital wetland habitat…and flooding the trail.
Over the last few years, the stewardship crew (and probably many of you as well) have noticed a significant change in the hydrology of the area that has coincided, not surprisingly, with an increase in beaver activity. While not everyone is excited when beavers move in to the neighborhood, here at Sycamore we are beaver believers and welcome them with open arms. More beavers equal more dams and that of course leads to more flooding, which is good for a wetland but has also made access to and maintenance of the boardwalk even more difficult. The increased water levels and beaver chewing has also lead to an increase in tree mortality, which has caused additional maintenance issues. But despite some negative impacts, the benefits that beavers have on the wetland ecosystem are far more important. In fact, wetlands created by beavers provide numerous ecological benefits including increased biodiversity, improved water quality, enhanced drought resilience, flood control and they help buffer against the negative impacts of climate change. Out West, they are even learning that beavers also make good “firefighters”, creating an oasis of green that can help reduce the spread of wildfires.
As we make our way through the swamp to make some repairs, I think about the impacts these fascinating rodents are having and wonder about the future of the Beanblossom Bottoms and all wetlands for that matter. It seems clear that this place is home for these beavers and that this place is the way it is because of the beavers. That each is dependent on the other. And the more time I spend here, I realize I need them both too. Not just for the ecosystems services they provide but for something deeper than that. As I contemplate this realization Noah shares a thought, “It’s amazing how active beavers are as contributors of ecosystems. Other animals do it but in much more passive ways…Beavers truly go above and beyond to change the landscape and provide habitat for themselves and other species.” I smile. He gets it. Another beaver believer. The future is in good hands and teeth!
This article is from the Winter-Spring 2025 issue of The Twig, “The Habitat for Herons Issue.” Read the issue at sycamorelandtrust.org/twig.
