Why beavers are essential to improving the climate and preventing wildfires
STOW - Beavers are small, but mighty creatures, but they are often given a bad rap as destructive. Commonly cutting down trees to build their homes.
But beaver dams also help create environments that can actually improve our climate.
Beavers create wetlands
During an outing with the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Dave Wattles in Stow, WBZ's Jason Mikell walked through the woods to find a beaver dam.
"They're really seen as a keystone species because of the way they create these wetland systems," says Wattles.
"By having these wetland suites, it creates an environment for a variety of wildlife species. amphibians, our reptiles, our turtles our birds," Wattles expands. "All of these animals will use these wetlands at different times. They're creating a habitat for almost entire species in Massachusetts."
And this is not just a great environment for wildlife.
Wetlands are working to help the climate by sequestering carbon by absorbing and storing the greenhouse gas. The areas also act as a water filter. With the water flow slowed by the dam, rainwater runoff is trapped more easily, and sediment can be collected at the bottom.
Beavers can also fight wildfires
Beaver environments can also keep wildfires at bay. That's why Wattles says the animals are being brought out west.
"They are being reintroduced to those areas and it's really because of the creation of wetlands, that is making them more resilient to climate change and actually completely altering the ecosystem."
The beaver population was nearly wiped out by early American colonists after being heavily trapped and killed by fur traders.
It's a history laid out in the book "Beaver Land" by Leila Philip, who works as a professor at the College of the Holy Cross.
"Water is really going to be the story of our century," says Philip. "So, all the problems we are facing with climate change, drought and fire and flooding. all are about water."
In the book, Philip stressed that beavers can play an important role in our battle against climate change.
"We need to really value them and think about them as a key tool to combatting climate change. And it's not just about managing water. It's also about biodiversity."
