One unique animal with a large task in the health of our local creek and river systems. Along the Central Coast and the state, beavers have become a vital source of assistance in protecting against some of California’s biggest natural threats. … Audrey Taub with the SLO Beaver Brigade invited KSBY to see the work that beavers do right on the Salinas River, showing how they thrive in riparian areas and ponds created due to the dams formed by the local beaver population. Thanks to their dams they help control and disperse the flow of water. Taub says the rodents create resilient environments that can ward off the spread of wildfires, decrease drought and in light of recent storms, manage flooding.