From the moment the idea emerged, “They said it couldn’t be done!” Who are “they”? Almost every wag, wight, or wizard who heard about it. What is “It”? —The Golden Gate Bridge.! It did take years of calculation, engineering, trial-and-failure, persistence, heart ache , and pressures against it; many died in the process. It was done! It is real! I have crossed it —several times.
However, I am more in awe of Nature’s Engineers— beavers; who don’t wait around for charts, calculations, and certification; they jump right in (more accurately bite in) and get the job done. There are colonies of Beavers living naturally, and happily here in Metro Atlanta—hiding in plain sight—within earshot of some of the busiest freeways and construction sites in the area.
Geologists say that millions of years ago, North America was home to untold millions of beavers; every river, creek, branch, or trickle had beaver dams. Beaver dams basically built our landscape; wetlands, water corridors, earth contours, and natural habitats for myriad species of thriving wildlife. The National Park Service says 200 million beavers remain in the lower 48 states alone; that does not include Canada or Mexico. A geologist recently told me there are only about six hundred million beavers left in North America. These numbers seem large; they delude. Beavers’ value is even larger.
Beavers are the “Engineers” who crafted the beauty of, and livelihood for, our great outdoors. Crafting multiple dams in the flowing waters, created dams, wetlands, contours, and lush habitats. Although Beavers are not on the “Protected” list, they are immensely valuable to our environment.
Beavers play an incredibly important role in our world, altering and shaping the landscape. As nature’s “engineers,” they build dams that provide deep water that protects them from predators, gives them access to plentiful food, and provides underwater entrances to their dens. Their tree-felling and dam-building activities create wetlands that provide homes for many other fish and wildlife species. Wetlands support almost half of the species on earth and nearly 50% of North America’s threatened or endangered species rely upon these aquatic environments for their survival. —U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
When I lived in Southeast Georgia, among miles of pinetree farms, beavers loved it. The Timberland owners and companies were annoyed by the beaver dams that kept cropping up creating wetlands and ponds. I saw occasions where landowners dynamited beaver dams to drain ponds—-beaver habitats. I was amazed at how quickly those water rodents rebuilt their dams. Actually, “Dams” is something of a misnomer; often their structures did dam up a stream, creating beaver pond.s
Beaver dams were homes for the beavers. What looks like a pile of sticks limbs and mud actually houses a beaver family. Their entrance is under water. The beavers dive into the water, come up under the floor of their dam; into a dry floor of their safe home, nursery, bedroom, protected by all that detritus. A double entry, has its own escape hatch—my term. (Click the link in this paragraph and scroll to the model of a beaver dam and interior).
Beavers are an excellent example of how God cares for all Creation. We are here to care for ourselves and all living things. Each living thing is important to God, and therefore important to each of other. On another occasion Jesus pointed out a comparison of God’s care by demonstrating the difference between our value of wildlife and human beings. Each one in God’s creation is important and has intrinsic value.
©Copyright Willis H. Moore