Conservationists building beaver dams to help restore B.C.’s drying Columbia Wetlands
Conservationists are trying to help restore a vast area of wetland in southeastern British Columbia by doing what beavers do: building dams. The Columbia Wetlands, which encompass an area of about 260 square kilometres in the East Kootenay, are an important resting and breeding grounds for over 160 species of migratory birds and other wildlife, like elk, deer and grizzly bears, says Suzanne Bailey, president of the Columbia Wetlands Stewardship Partners (CWSP). But the area has been drying for decades due to human activity and climate change, and certain parts that once held open water all year long are now often dry in the winter and spring.