Dam It: Partnering With Beavers to Restore the Planet

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Credit: Ellyne Geurts, via iNaturalist

Event photo: North American beaver, Castor canadensis.

Can we learn to embrace the much-maligned beaver? In his book "Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter," environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb reveals that our modern conception of a healthy ecosystem is wrong, distorted by the fur trade that once eliminated millions of beavers from North America’s waterways. The consequences were profound: Ponds drained, wetlands dried up and species from salmon to swans lost vital habitat. Today, a growing coalition of “Beaver Believers”—including scientists, farmers and passionate citizens—recognizes that ecosystems with beavers are far healthier than those without them. From the Nevada deserts to the Scottish highlands, Believers are hard at work restoring these industrious rodents to their former haunts. In his talk on Oct. 22, Ben will discuss the history and biology of this world-changing species; how beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire and climate change; and how we can coexist with this challenging but vital rodent.

This webinar will be recorded! Closed captions will be available during the live event and on the recording. By signing up on Zoom, you'll be able to join live and receive a link to the recording approximately 1 week after the live webinar. Part of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center's free "Life on a Sustainable Planet" webinar series.

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Event photo: North American beaver, Castor canadensis. (Credit: Ellyne Geurts, via iNaturalist)