One thing that it appears we are unable to escape in forestry, is beavers.

July 19, 2016 3:51 pm Published by Melissa Jenkins 1 Comment

One thing that it appears we are unable to escape in forestry, is beavers. These small animals have a devastating effect on our forests. Most of the imagery we use is but a few years out of date, but when we’re sent to layout a block in preparation for harvesting, its almost scary the number of times that a block is either flooded or needs adjusting due to a beaver’s impact. So far this summer there have been very few days where I have not seen a beaver flood, they are almost a daily occurrence.

There is something breathtaking about them though. That such small creatures, though big rodents, can have such a huge impact on the environment. Huge areas of land are impacted due to them, and a large portion of that is normally also actively used by them. There are much bigger animals that have far less of a direct impact on it’s surroundings, it makes it almost seem silly that a small animal can, in a sense, achieve more.

While I can find a beaver’s creation breathtaking, I also find them devastating. Just last week, as we were flying back to the hangar, I looked out of one of the windows and saw 9 beaver lodges in just one spot. They just destroy everything. What could have been a plentiful forest is now a devastated land mass of foul smelling beaver musk swamp, grey and dreary. I’ve had to cross beaver dams on multiple occasions now. Often my first thought is “At least we can cross this beaver flood without getting wet”. That thought is quickly replaced with: “Well if the beaver hadn’t settled here in the first place there most likely wouldn’t be the issue of getting wet to start with”. I’ve come to despise crossing the dams. The thought of them breaking under my weight, or if I slip and fall in, puts me in a sour mood, which quickly diminishes once I’ve reached the other side. I try to keep a positive outlook when crossing. My initial song when crossing went: “Oh I hate beaver dams, I hate beaver dams, I hate beaver dams…” has now been transformed into “Oh I love hating beaver dams, I love hating beaver dams…” in order to attempt to retain a positive outlook. It’s quite comical really.

I do not maintain much love for beavers. Partly because of the unpleasantness they have added to my daily work routine, which is otherwise fantastic, but also because of an encounter I had with one 6 or 7 years ago. One day, on the farm I used to live on, there was a beaver out in one of the fields. My mother and myself went out to take photographs. Being the silly, curious humans we are, we got quite close to the creature, causing it to get defensive. I turned to me, growled, started chomping its teeth and charged at me. Of course I ran and screamed like the little girl I was. My mother never fails to bring it up and tease me on it still. I have found with this job that I am not the only one to have had this sort of encounter with a beaver, so I don’t feel quite so foolish for my younger actions before.

While I probably wouldn’t turn, run and scream from one now, I have no more love for them than I did then, though I do find it amusing when we have one come up to the Argo making beaver threats. They have a lot of spirit.