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page species of animal that creates new habitat or enhances the habitat that it exists in. The new or enhanced habitat is �������������������� �������� ������������ ������������������ ���������������� ���� ������������������ ���������������� many other species would not be able to exist in a location or would not be able to exist there nearly as successfully as they can when their habitat is improved or created by a keystone species, such as a beaver. The term keystone species comes from the keystone, which �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� have at the top of an arch or the arch would not stand. Without ���������� �������������� ������������ �������� �������������� ���������������������� ���������� �������� �������� ������������ stones in the arch, the arch would not be able to support itself. What the beaver does that makes it a keystone species is that it builds its dam, which backs up water and this creates a beaver pond. The reason they build this dam is because the pond that is created, when the water backs up behind ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ most predators to be able to get to the lodge where the beaver family lives and raises their young, called kits. They always build their lodge in the middle of the pond, where the water is deepest and the lodge is as far from the edge of the pond as it can be. This pond also makes it easier for the beaver to ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� and lodge, to the dam or lodge instead of having to drag the tree branches over land the whole way. This beaver pond is created wherever beavers are found. It could be in a small to medium sized stream in many parts of its range. In our part of the world in southeastern North Carolina it is usually the run of a swamp or a small stream. The Lumber River is too large and fast moving for a beaver to dam it up so beavers that live along the river will build their lodge along the side of the river. They build an entrance below the water level so that they can still enter and leave their lodge without being threatened by most predators. So, do beavers build their dam to create the pond because they want to be such a helpful animal to other animals? Well, no we can’t say that they do it to help other species. But does their activity have the end result of being very good �������� ���������� ������������ ������������������ ���������� ���������������������� ���������� ���������� ���������� �������� �������������������������� ������������������ �������� �������������������� ������ ���������������� ���������� �������� survive and thrive in and around the created pond. Because the habitat goes from a small stream to a good sized pond, �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� have all the things they need to survive. Fish now have a pond to live in instead of a small stream, which would often dry up during the summer. Bird species, including many types of songbirds, ducks, and waders, such as herons, now have a much more useful habitat than the previous small stream provided. Many species of mammals are able to survive better around a beaver pond. Muskrats frequently live in the beaver lodge alongside the beaver family. Without the beaver pond many of these animals simply couldn’t exist in an area as success fully as they can with the pond there. As with most things, too much of anything can be bad, and so it is with beavers in our modern world. Although anyone ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ beavers can provide for the natural environment and the ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� there are times when beavers become too numerous in an area and may need to be thinned. There are several agencies and organizations that can provide this service. But those who are not the biggest fans of beavers should also be able to see the ���������������� ���������� ���������������� �������� ���� ���������� ������ �������� ������������ ���������� �������� �������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� trip near a beaver pond proves the results of these amazing animals is worth leaving some of them around and that we can co-exist with them in the neighborhood. So what are some ways that humans can co-exist with beavers and still achieve some of the results they want from their land? Instead of planting trees that can’t handle being ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ such as bald cypress, that can survive in wet areas. It will take a bald cypress longer to mature than a loblolly pine but this will be some great money for the grandchildren to enjoy. �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� maybe consider letting some of it that is wetlands revert back to forest. Again, this will be valuable timber to be harvested sometime in the future. Many landowners, even those with small tracts who might not have thought they have enough land to interest someone, have begun to lease their land to clubs, or groups of people who are willing to pay well to �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� of timber. Finding creative compromises such as this could lead to letting our interesting little neighbor survive near us and, as a walk in the woods shows, might even make life more enjoyable for us. 29


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