The BC Wildlife Federation and its partners have been busy with Canada’s national animal this year, helping create new habitat to restore beaver populations and watersheds.
The federation’s 10,000 Wetlands Project aims to restore crucial freshwater habitat around the province by building artificial beaver dams.
Dam-building teams of up to 10 people layered locally-sourced mud and branches as well as untreated wood posts to mimic beaver dams on small streams as far east as the East Kootenays.
More than 70 manmade beaver dams have been installed in Interior waterways since the B.C. Wildlife Federation project launched last year and identified 30 more sites for future restoration work., with the goal of building 100 dams by the end of 2025.
Inspired by a similar project in Oregon, teams have been building beaver dam analogues out of sticks, trees, and mud in strategic locations. The dams create year-round wetlands, and also encourage beaver populations to grow. They slow and store water, providing critical habitat for salmon and trout species.
The program was launched in 2022 by BCWF under the leadership of Jennifer Rogers.
“Beavers, and the restoration work inspired by them, provide important ecosystem benefits that have been lost or damaged over time,” said Rogers.
“During our field work, we’ve come across many areas that show signs of historic beaver activity but without active beavers on site are now in decline,” shared Rogers.
“By bringing back the natural ‘disturbance’ created by beavers, the BCWF and its project partners are letting nature take the lead in restoring and maintaining streams.”
For more information about the 10,000 Wetlands Project, visit www.bcwfwatershedteam.ca.
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