Restoring like a beaver

Beavers play a crucial role in the watersheds where they reside by building dams that transform rivers and streams into lush wetlands. In drought-stricken California, they help slow the flow of rain runoff, reserving water in the system for use later in the summer when water is often scarce. Additionally, the environment they create enhance fire resilience, and provide refuge for wildlife. Unfortunately, beaver populations have largely disappeared from California, and without them, all the benefits they offer. Now, humans are constructing beaver dam analogs (BDAs) to mimic the environment that beavers create and these ecological benefits. This story highlights the work of these self-proclaimed “beaver believers,” their wetland restoration efforts, and their determination to educate the public about the advantages of coexisting with beavers.

Susie Cederlof, a member of the Swift Water Design crew, carries branches along the wetland to use in the construction of the Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) in Paicines Ranch, Paicines, California, United States. To build the BDAs the crew uses mostly hand tools, human labor, and all-natural materials collected locally, to mimic as much as possible the work of beavers. The branches and wood logs are all carried by hand. July 22, 2024.

Swift Water Design crew works on collecting and transporting materials used to build a Beaver Dam Analog (BDA) in Paicines Ranch, Paicines, California, United States. In the center, Ayeen Telopa pushes a sled full of mud. This restoration work requires hours of intense physical labor. July 23, 2024.

Swift Water Design crew builds a Beaver Dam Analog (BDA) in Paicines Ranch, Paicines, California, United States. In the front, Ayeen Telopa assembles branches into the structure of the BDA. The water flow in this location was already slower after a few hours of work building the BDA. The water was spreading in the system and reached waist level at this point in time. July 23, 2024.

Nature’s Engineers and Swift Water Design crew prepare to start their work in the Paicines Ranch, Paicines, California, United States. In the front right is Cooper Lienhart, Nature’s Engineer’s President. The two companies work together to restore the riparian area of the San Benito River within the property, by building a series of Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) along the river. BDAs mimic the beaver dams and natural woody structures that were common in healthy rivers and streams. July 23, 2024.

View of Paicines Ranch range lands with the riparian area of the San Benito River in the far left. The ranch implements holistic planned grazing, which mimics natural grazing patterns. They hired a crew to restore the wetland portraited in the far left. Paicines, California, United States. July 23, 2024.

Susie Cederlof, a member of the Swift Water Design crew, uses small branches collected locally in the riparian area to build the upper part of a Beaver Dam Analog (BDA) in Paicines Ranch, Paicines, California, United States. The branches are put one by one by hand to mimic as much as possible the work of beavers. July 23, 2024.

Paicines Ranch, Nature Engineers, and Swift Water Design crew along with their dogs gather at a turn of the San Benito River within the Paicines Ranch property in Paicines, California, United States. The river in this location eroded the side bank until it collapsed several meters during a previous rainy season. The level and flow of the water can get very high in rivers in California after winter storms. The ranch managers decided to try to prevent further collapse of the river banks by building Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) to spread the water in the system. July 23, 2024.

A group of children and their mothers look at a beaver dam and pond in Atascadero, California, United States. This group of homeschooled children ranged from 2 to 13 years old and were guided by Audrey Taub, executive director of the Beaver Brigade. They participated in a nature walk in which they learned about the natural history and the importance of beavers for the ecosystem and for water availability in their town. September 26, 2024.

A group of local children play in a beaver pond in the waters of the Salinas River in Atascadero, California, United States. They reached the location guided by Audrey Taub, execute director of the Beaver Brigade. By the end of the dry season the Salinas River is usually at a low water level or completely dry, but in this location, there is water year-round due to the beaver dam. September 26, 2024.

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