Researchers utilize groundbreaking method to study species once on brink of extinction: 'We really just want to get people to understand'
Researchers have been compiling a wealth of data to track the ongoing growth of beaver populations in Connecticut, according to the Hartford Courant.
Beavers were nearly wiped out of the state before their reintroduction in 1914. A series of protections have helped the population grow healthy enough to allow for limited trapping. The specificity of that health hasn't been followed too closely, however.
That's why the University of Connecticut's Evan Zocco and Chandi Witharana started compiling decades' worth of aerial imagery of the region. They're using it to figure out where beavers have built dams to better inform land management strategies.
Beaver dams can help create ecologically rich wetland areas, but nearby human residents are likely to find the flooding a nuisance. With strong historical data, policymakers and enforcers can come to better decisions.
The wealth of data the duo used is impressive. It includes black-and-white film from manned aircraft, satellite imagery, drone imagery, thermal images, and LIDAR models. This enabled them to build a three-dimensional version of the landscape to see the long-term changes in these ecosystems.
Science paired with strong protections can lead to wildlife repopulation successes. The United Kingdom has undertaken a set of beaver repopulation strategies similar to Connecticut's. With any luck, it will be able to enjoy similar ecosystem restoration. Beavers can even sometimes be helpful to human projects.
While Zocco and Witharana's work is a great start, they could certainly use help. Their online tool allows people to help identify where waterways branch off in multiple directions, indicating the presence of a beaver dam.
"This is still an evolving project at this point and the website is really designed to bring people in and get folks interested," Zocco said, per the Courant. "We really just want to get people to understand beavers a little more and how they can impact the landscape."
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