Beaver Works Oregon

Beaver Works Oregon is a program of Think Wild working to support beaver & wildlife habitat in Oregon's high desert landscapes.

Beaver, a keystone species, were nearly extirpated from eastern Oregon by 1900. Their absence resulted in the loss of natural processes which provided resilience in riparian ecosystems.  The loss of resilience left these ecosystems extremely vulnerable to degradation by changes in land use that occurred during settlement.

Beaver Works Oregon works to support beaver and the required components and processes that 1) sustain them and 2) allow them to function as keystone species.

How can we help the return of beaver in Oregon?

Beaver Works Oregon supports beaver in 3 different focus areas:

SUPPORTING WORKING LAND STEWARDS ON WAYS TO SUCCESSFULLY SHARE PLACE WITH BEAVER

Recognizing that beaver habitat sometimes coincides inconveniently (and expensively) with human habitat, Beaver Works seeks to help humans and beavers to coexist successfully. Beaver Works provides a beaver response team to consult with landholders on practical, proven techniques and resources to address challenges (ex. damaged trees, flooding, blocked irrigation ditches or culverts, etc.) that may arise when sharing Place with beavers.

For those looking for learn more on how beavers change the landscape, we invite you to read Working Lands and Beavers (Stories from around the West) and Beaver Tales.

PROMOTING AND ESTABLISHING SUCCESSFUL BEAVER HABITAT

Beaver Works supports landholders and watershed organizations to prioritize restoration efforts, and the conditions necessary for beavers to be successful on the landscape. Learn more on how to encourage and recruit beavers to settle on your landscape.

BUILDING AWARENESS OF BEAVER AS AN ESSENTIAL KEYSTONE SPECIES

​Beaver works helps Oregonians to understand the benefits of beaver on the landscape as a keystone species - expanding the biological, ecological and historical narrative around Oregon's state animal. We help citizens understand and embrace enthusiastically that beavers can have an important, positive influence on the health of watersheds and our ecosystems.