Not all heroes wear capes, but the one we need most actually wears a tail. A warmer, drier climate necessitates we work with nature to create more resilient watersheds, and what better partner could we ask for than a fuzzy engineer who will do the work for us? I’m talking, of course, about the beaver.

If you’ve been attending the Bud Werner Memorial Library’s talks, panels, and workshops as part of this year’s One Book Steamboat featuring the book “Eager” by Ben Goldfarb, then you’re well-versed in the power of the mighty beaver. But for those of you who are confused at the recent influx of local beaver fanatics (a.k.a. “Beaver Believers”), I’ll make the case here for our bucktoothed hero.

As Goldfarb notes in his book, beavers once dominated the North American landscape, which supported as many as 400 million individuals prior to European colonization. As the demand for furs skyrocketed, beaver populations plummeted — by the early 20th century, their numbers had fallen to as few as 100,000.

Though they have rebounded slightly, we are still grappling with the legacy their near-disappearance has left behind. Water, once an abundant resource in the West, has now become one of its most precious.

Our rivers and streams face increasing pressure from drought, but beavers create natural water storage solutions. Their dams slow down fast-moving water, creating ponds and wetlands that hold onto moisture long after the snowmelt has passed.

These beaver-made reservoirs act like sponges, soaking up water in wet seasons, thereby reducing spring flooding, and gradually releasing it during dry periods. That means more water when we need it, and less when we don’t.

Who said beaver ponds are just for beavers? These wetlands are hotspots of biodiversity, attracting everything from fish and frogs to moose and migratory birds. According to the National Audubon Society, up to 80% of wildlife in Colorado rely on riparian habitats like beaver ponds at some point in their life cycles. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to name a species that didn’t evolve to cohabitate with beaver ponds.

We all know Smokey the Bear advocates for preventing wildfires, but we should give some credit to beavers for stopping fires in their tracks. The ponds and damp soil surrounding their dams create lush, green firebreaks that are far less likely to burn. Research has shown that landscapes with active beaver populations recover faster from wildfires, and the ponds act as catchment areas that capture sediment flows.

Beavers and humans are more alike than we realize: we both settle near streams, live in expansive valley bottoms, and place a high value on trees (though perhaps for different reasons). Given our shared landscape preferences, it’s no surprise we are often in conflict with our beaver brethren. They dam our culverts, flood our fields, and chew down our favorite trees.

Fortunately, the Yampa Valley Beaver Working Group, a new initiative comprised of local non-profits, and state and federal agencies whose goal is to maintain and expand local beaver habitat, can help alleviate damage caused by pesky beavers.

Non-lethal beaver management techniques offered by the group keep rising ponds at bay, fence out culverts, and cage high-value vegetation while allowing the beavers to stay in place. If you or your neighbors are dealing with beaver-related challenges, contact ryan@yvsc.org or emily@friendsoftheyampa.com for information on how the Yampa Valley Beaver Working Group can help.

While we may never restore beaver numbers to the hundreds of millions, we can advocate for their return and mitigate challenges as they arise. Their work as both an engineer and a firefighter will be invaluable as we brace ourselves for varying snowpacks, flashier floods, and more intense wildfires. So you see, we have a furry friend indeed when it comes to creating a more resilient Yampa Valley.

Ryan Messinger is the Natural Climate Solutions Project Manager for Yampa Valley Sustainability Council.