Beavers busy preparing for autumn

Compass arts and entertainment Editor Anne Day was hiking in Lakeville near The Hotchkiss School last Monday, Oct. 14, when she spotted a beaver swimming across a small pond.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) notes that beavers can be seen as either beneficial or a nuisance. Humans object to them cutting down trees and creating floods. Their activities can also interfere with fish migration and can create floods that wreck habitats for plants and animals.

On the plus side, those same activities and the landscapes that the beavers create can make new habitats for everything from insects to wood ducks. 

There are very few ways to get rid of beavers. The DEEP recommends that, “people should realize that wetlands are dynamic systems that change over time. The Wildlife Division encourages landowners to develop a tolerance and appreciation of beavers and the benefits they provide for wildlife and humans alike.”