Birds & Beavers
We are excited to launch Birds & Beavers // Castores y Comunidad! A new bilingual community science project exploring the connections between beaver activity and bird habitat. We want to know: How does beaver activity affect bird habitat?
This project will be centered around the Jordan River and educational components will be held at the Nature Center at Pia Okwai which is a branch of our Aviary. Stay tuned for upcoming activities, events, and volunteer opportunities!
Phase 1: Reporting
We want YOU to report beaver activity! We need your help to find trees affected by beavers.
When you’re anywhere along the Jordan River and see gnawed or fallen trees, send a photo to the Conservation Science Program at 801-381-6349.
Your photos help us locate trees and plan which areas to monitor.
What does beaver activity look like?
Map of Activity
As people submit photos and tree locations, more points are added to this map! Notice empty areas with no beaver markers? Go out and survey along that area, maybe you’ll be the first to find activity!
Beavers, Trees, and Plant IDs
Beavers eat tree bark and cambium (the softer growing tissue under the bark of trees). Along the Jordan River, they seem to prefer soft-wooded trees like Cottonwoods.
Here are some common species you might see:
Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)
Boxelder (Acer negundo)
Explore more information about trees of Utah here:
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Tree Utah Tree Guide: Planting trees? Learn which native tree species are best
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USU’s TreeBrowser: Search for info about 245 tree species found in Utah and the Intermountain West
Phase 2: Monitoring
Once we collect enough photo points of affected trees, we will assess which ones need to be protected or monitored. Certain species, like native Cottonwood trees, need to be protected from too much beaver munching! We also want to know how long beavers stay at fallen trees before moving on to new ones. Could beaver behavior could be influenced by how quickly dead trees are removed from the river?
Phase 3: Education
We want share what we discover! Future activities may include: Family Beaver Walks, social media Beaver Reports, Nature Journal Observations, and new signage at the Nature Center at Pia Okwai for you to explore. Stay tuned for more!
This project is made possible by our partners:
