Assessing the potential to partner with beavers (Castor canadensis) to restore river and riparian habitat in the Gold River watershed on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Beavers are known as ecosystem engineers for their ability to modify landscapes with their dam-building activities. There are numerous ecological benefits associated with beaver dams, as they create diverse and productive wetlands that provide habitat for various plant and animal species. There is growing interest to partner with beavers to aid in the restoration of river and streamside habitat. This project uses a combination of GIS -based modeling and field assessments to determine stream segments in the Gold River watershed that have the potential to support dam-building beaver colonies. This project will outline potential restoration or management actions that can help promote the natural colonization of beavers to determined areas (eg. planting preferred tree species) and potential sites where beavers could be translocated to. The encouragement of beavers in the watershed will have cascading effects and help make ecosystems more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Faculty Supervisor:

Douglas Ransome

Student:

Partner:

Ducks Unlimited Canada (BC)

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Finance and Insurance; Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

British Columbia Institute of Technology

Program: