For years, beavers have been trapped and shot as varmints in the western U.S. According to WCS’s Jeff Burrell in the New York Times, though, people are starting to realize we need cheap ways to store water or “we’re going to be up a creek, a dry creek.” Beavers (and their dams) can help.

It turns out beaver dams aren't easy to replicate, and the benefits they provide are crucial. Due largely to fur trapping, by 1930 there were no more than 100,000 beavers in North America, down from the tens of millions. With growing demand for dams to help restore landscapes, governments are now working on ways to attract these animals.

Read the full article on the New York Times >>