Presenter/s: Vanessa Petro
Symposium Session: 2024 - 11 Restoring Habitat for Overlooked Aquatic Organisms
Topics covered: beavers
ABSTRACT
Beaver-related restoration has quickly gained popularity in the past decade because it is often described as a novel and cost-effective strategy for promoting aquatic habitat restoration for listed salmonid species, and more recently, mitigating the effects of climate change. Despite growing support to integrate beaver into conservation planning, data regarding their population ecology is limited and the implementation of using beaver as a management tool is far outpacing research. A common misconception in promoting beaver populations is that an increase in beaver abundance leads to an increase in beaver dams, with concomitant ecological benefits. However, not all beaver build dams because dam construction is a facultative response that can vary due to several factors. Taken in combination, these challenges can lead to misdirected management actions that result in a greater likelihood of not meeting expected restoration outcomes. This presentation will cover some of the common misconceptions, inconvenient truths, and unforeseen consequences that need to be considered when pursuing measures intended to bolster beaver activity in dynamic aquatic systems. Providing this crucial context will allow managers to decide on the appropriate actions to best manage watersheds that include beaver while maximizing their potential benefits.