Leaves It to Beavers
Beavers are semi-aquatic animals that have the reputation of being busy little critters (some would say a darn nuisance). Their big teeth never stop growing and would become quite a problem if not continually worn down by chipping away at trees. They build dams along waterways to create ponds, give them better access to their food sources, erect their homes safely away from predators, and store their winter food supply.
Humans, however, don’t always appreciate their work. A beaver pond, especially one that hasn’t been long established, can look like a chaotic mess of giant pick-up sticks. It seems there’s no rhyme or reason for the direction of tree fall and the dammed up water sometimes floods roadways or gobbles up land a farmer would prefer to use for pasture or crops. But a beaver pond has an important place in nature. It provides habitat for numerous plant and animal species and plays a valuable role in wetland preservation.
When we moved to Lone Pine our quarter section was heavily treed. There were a few acres in hay that had been maintained by the previous owner’s relatives, but pretty well all other remnants of human habitation were swallowed by the forest. We built our home on a small open piece of fairly level land where we dug up a few rotten boards indicating that it had once been occupied by a building of some sort.
At that time you could barely see the beaver pond through the trees. We were very glad it existed though. For ten years it was our only source of water.
Eventually we jumped into the 20th century, dug a well and brought water and solar electricity into the house. We cleared a barn yard, made a lawn and garden, planted some apple trees and berries. Through the years the beaver pond went through many changes but has always been an asset, providing us with water for our livestock, our garden and our bees. In the past two years we’ve gotten all our firewood thanks to beaver activity. They not only fell trees for us, they removed all the branches and bark (while also destroying a few fence panels)!
Did we ever become overwhelmed by beaver activity? We did a time or two get someone to “thin the herd” (we may be at that point again after two beautiful trees dropped into our yard last week) and my husband tried his hand at stretching beaver skins. We tried some beaver meat but didn’t become fond of it. We have attempted to curb their zealousness by wrapping chicken wire around the trees we want to remain standing. I’m quite sure there wouldn’t be a single one left had we not done that.
We have lived beside this beaver pond for over 50 years and enjoyed watching the progress of nature. We feel it is a privilege to live alongside this developing ecosystem with all it’s flora and fauna (beaver, muskrats, ducks, loons, geese, moose, an occasional swan, red winged blackbirds, water lilies, cattails, floating islands…). We consider our watershed and beaver pond to be a precious resource. As for management, we’ve mainly left it to the beavers.
North of 54
https://www.facebook.com/Northof543/,
October 19, 2025
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