Beavers are essential nonhuman stewards in a lot of habitats. They clear out deadfall, create ecosystems for fish and waterfowl, and generally improve the health of river systems or wetlands. Without beavers, an area can fall into ecological disrepair. Attracting beavers back can be a challenge, too. But thats where Oregons Hand Crews, featured in Patagonias video Leave It to Beavers, come in.
Leave It To Beavers profiles the project and the handful of volunteers executing it. The basic idea is to build what they call a replica of a beaver dam using natural materials and tactics beavers use. Hopefully, eventually, a beaver comes by who looks at that dam, and decides that they could do better. Should they stop and make a home, its a dam mission success.
For more information on Oregons Hand Crews and other similar projects around the state, visit the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Page on the Oregon Government website. For more videos like this from Patagonia, check out the brands YouTube page.
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Fight the Dam Fight: Follow Yurok Woman's Battle to 'Undam' Klamath RiverFollow Yurok tribal attorney Amy Bowers Cordalis as she fights to have Klamath River dams, which are destroying aquatic life and destabilizing ecosystems, removed one by one. Read more
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