Pondering climate change, dire predictions of continued regional global drought and dwindling wetlands brought me back to the humble Beaver.
I learned something interesting about the Beaver of all things. Once the backbone of Canadian fur trading, this rather large rodent may adorn our nickel, yet is considered nothing more than a nuisance. Their fur of little value in a world of synthetic fabric draped political correctness, the Beaver inhabit a realm known as pest. In parts of Canada like Porcupine Plains, Saskatchewan they even have a bounty on their seemingly worthless hides.
Not so fast people. According to David Suzuki they could be the most important animal on our planet. It seems their relentless dam building serves a special purpose. By creating ponds, they trap water destined to evaporate from small streams. By building dams they make deep ponds out of trickles the summer sun would have turned to dry creek beds.
Dr Glynnis Hood studied the impact of beavers on water levels in a given landscape. Elk Island…
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