THE IMPORTANCE OF BEAVERS

APRIL SPEAKER PROGRAM—APRIL 13^th at 7 PM VIA ZOOM

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEAVERS TO HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS

With Ben Goldfarb

Ben Goldfarb is the author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, winner of the 2019 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. He is an environmental journalist whose work has appeared in publications including the Atlantic, Science, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. His next book, Crossings, on the science of road ecology, will be published by W.W. Norton & Company in September 2023. He lives in Colorado with his wife, Elise, and his dog, Kit — which is, of course, what you call a baby beaver. Ben is a former resident of both Spokane and Seattle, and his book prominently features the Methow Beaver Project, the Tulalip Beaver Project, the Lands Council, and other Washington-based beaver restoration efforts.

In Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, Ben reveals that our modern conception of a healthy ecosystem is wrong, distorted by the fur trade that once eliminated millions of beavers from North America’s waterways. The consequences of losing beavers were profound: ponds drained, wetlands dried up, and species from salmon to swans lost vital habitat. Today, a growing coalition of “Beaver Believers”—including scientists, ranchers, and passionate citizens—recognizes that ecosystems with beavers are far healthier than those without them. From the Puget Sound lowlands to the Scottish highlands, Believers are hard at work restoring these industrious rodents to their former haunts. In his talk, Ben will discuss the history of this world-changing species; how beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, and climate change; and how we can coexist with this challenging but vital rodent.

This free program requires registration at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtdeysqTkiHdC16pG-yUkJiz570aVVg0G3