Beavers, Biodiversity and Wetlands of Hope

Wildlands Advocate Article, October 2012, by Dr. Glynnis A. Hood. Beavers play an important ecological role in creating and maintaining wetlands, of which in Alberta we have already lost over 65% due to draining and infilling. Dr. Hood describes her work installing a pond leveler to prevent flooding of trails in the Cooking Lake/Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area as well as protect the aquatic ecosystem. She also discusses her studies on beaver-modified wetlands and biodiversity.

“My research and that of my students shows there is so much more to these complex ecosystems than meets the eye. Despite being the ponds with some of the highest levels of biodiversity and resilience during drought, they are often the first to be drained when conflict with humans occurs.”