February 15, 2013 Julie Larsen Maher ©WCS The beaver is one of
nature’s most skillful architects, but it doesn’t just create
lodges for its own toothy kin. The dams this engineering rodent
builds can create water storage ponds that provide habitat for
entire communities of wildlife, and ensure streams flow even
when there is little rain and snowfall. As climate change warms
up the earth and dries out valleys across the West, beavers have
become an increasingly important ally in helping natural
communities adapt.The Grand Canyon Trust is a 2011 recipient of
a WCS Climate Adaptation Fund grant, provided by the Doris Duke
Charitable Foundation. The group is working to reintroduce
beavers in dozens of stream segments in Southern Utah, and
tracking the benefits they provide to local ecosystems.