Learning Lab 10: Restoring Ecosystems with Beavers
"Restoring Ecosystems with Beavers" with Kate Lundquist, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center.
In this Learning Lab, we’re diving into the world of beavers — some of Mother Nature’s most skilled ecological engineers — with Kate Lundquist of Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (OAEC).
Long before concrete dams and complex, industrial irrigation systems, beavers played the vital role of guiding water and hydrating landscapes.
OAEC’s WATER Institute is leaning into the natural wisdom of beaver, exploring how uplifting and mimicking the genius of this keystone species (native to Northern Hemisphere ecosystems) can play a major role in mitigating droughts, fires, and other unfortunate effects of poor water-use practices.
Kate Lundquist directs OAEC’s WATER Institute, where she collaborates with landowners, communities, tribes, conservation organizations and resource agencies across the arid west to uncover obstacles and identify strategic solutions to conserve watersheds, recover listed species, increase water security and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
In this session, we’ll explore…
Enhancement, expansion, and mimicry of beaver behavior, capitalizing on the natural ways of beaver to promote healthy ecosystems
Coexistence though non-lethal intervention
Case studies for working with beaver to revitalize waterways
So, what can we learn from beavers? Join us for another interactive webinar with land stewards around the world, where we’ll learn firsthand with experts in the field about tried-and-true, low-tech techniques for bringing life back to our beautiful planet.
Learning Lab is Ma Earth's interactive webinar series where land stewards share skills and connect with practitioners of regeneration. Sessions are published in Ma Earth's Learning Lab library.