By Dianne Yeske, Wisconsin Chapter Wildlife Team Member
Wisconsinites have an opportunity to weigh in on the management of another beneficial keystone species in our state.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has formed a beaver management plan committee to assist in an advisory role to the DNR in the development of an updated beaver management plan. The last beaver management plan was approved in 2015 and is long overdue for updating. The Wisconsin Chapter was grateful to secure a spot on the committee and Wildlife Team member Amy Mueller represents us. Wildlife Team member Kathy Wendling is also on the committee, representing her organization, Friends of the North Pikes Creek Wetlands.
Why this matters:
A keystone species is a species that plays a critical role in maintaining its ecosystem, providing huge benefits to other species. Beavers are a great example–as ecosystem engineers, they do so much to help mitigate the effects of climate change. Now, more than ever, we need to address all possible solutions in our quest to be more climate resilient.
By modifying their environment, they create biologically rich wetland habitats for the 75% of Wisconsin species that spend time there during all, or part, of their life cycle, and increase local plant biodiversity by 32%. The role that every species plays in the balance of healthy ecosystems cannot be overstated. Protecting beavers, a keystone species, is vital to maintaining healthy wetland ecosystems in our state.
Beaver-created wetland habitats also provide valuable benefits for humans by:
- Holding water on the landscape for slow, gradual release, decreasing damage from floods, reducing bank erosion, mitigating effects of drought, and replenishing aquifers;
- Preventing the spread of wildfires through natural fuel breaks and providing a safe haven for wildlife;
- Cleaning and purifying stream water, removing silt and contaminants, including road salt and nitrates;
- Providing recreational activities, from fishing to birdwatching;
- Absorbing and capturing greenhouse gases.
There are many issues regarding current beaver management in our state that need to be considered in an updated beaver management plan:
- Lack of Wisconsin beaver data. We don’t have reliable data on how many beavers are in Wisconsin, where they are located, or how many are killed through recreational trapping or nuisance complaints. How can the state best manage beavers if this information is not available?
- Need for current studies and best available science. A lot has changed since the last beaver management plan was put in place in 2015. We need to make sure the updated plan addresses current studies and best practices in order to make the best management decisions. Updated studies include changing climate information such as temperatures, drought, rainfall events and water quality..
- Need for education and public outreach based on beavers as a keystone species. We need to increase these efforts to reflect the critical role beavers play as ecological engineers and to foster the benefits of human coexistence.
- Need to prioritize non-lethal solutions for human-beaver conflicts. The sensation of moving water triggers beavers to build dams, which can lead to some conflicts with humans. Beavers can cause damage to valuable trees, human infrastructure, or cropland, but there are cost-effective, non-lethal measures that can easily be used to mitigate these problems. Beaver exclusion devices, such as wire tree wrap, flow devices to protect culverts and pond levelers can be used to effectively manage beaver activity. Thoughtful beaver conflict management allows us to co-exist and benefit from their valuable contributions to our ecosystem.
- Need for the new plan to be based on adaptive management practices. Changes occur quickly, and the science is always evolving. We need to have a plan that can adapt to those changes. Plan review should occur every 3-5 years in order to account for best available science, new beaver data, and studies.
There will be opportunities for public input in this process in the form of four public comment meetings. As part of the process there will also be an online questionnaire, a 45-day opportunity to review and comment on a draft of the management plan, with the DNR making edits based on these comments prior to submission to the Natural Resources Board for approval.
This is a great opportunity for people to learn more about the key role beavers play in the ecosystem and to advocate for coexistence. Your advocacy and support for a beaver management plan based on the best available science and current studies will result in healthier wetland ecosystems that will benefit both wildlife and people.
Follow our website or contact Elizabeth at elizabeth.ward@sierraclub.org to find out when the comment period opens.