Beavers Away A great read this winter based on the true story of 79 “nuisance” beavers

Beavers Away

Beavers Away! is based on a true story in which seventy-nine “nuisance” beavers were reintroduced, through parachute drops, into a remote and degraded wilderness in Idaho in the late 1940’s. Consequently, these areas were successfully re-colonized and stream ecosystems were repaired. The re-located beavers were able to quickly restore the eroded and barren landscape and create lush habitat that provided food and shelter for many other types of animals.

The book is written from the perspective of Elmo Heter, the game warden who designed and directed the parachute project, and from the viewpoint of a beaver he nicknamed Geronimo. The narrative follows Geronimo through the process of capture, relocation, and release and it incorporates much of the actual story as originally told by Elmo Heter in an article written for the Journal of Wildlife Management in 1950. In addition to the story of the parachute drops, background is provided on the morphology and life of beavers, their specific adaptations for a semi-aquatic life, their critical roles as ecosystem engineers and keystone species, and their ability to mitigate the effects of climate change in wetland habitats.

Many mammals, from moose to mice, depend on beaver-engineered habitat for food and shelter. In fact, nearly half of all endangered species in North America rely on wetlands for their survival. Beavers are remarkably efficient and successful at restoring degraded wetlands and the associated ecosystems. Across the United States beavers are being successfully reintroduced, often on or near large farms and ranches, to create sources of clean water for livestock and wildlife and to restore habitat for diverse species of plants and animals.

Today’s young people are growing up in a world that is dramatically impacted by the effects of climate change. In the coming decades they will confront many daunting environmental challenges and they will be responsible for developing the necessary tools and meth-

ods for solving complex problems that will face the global community. Beavers Away! presents a remarkably uplifting story in which an innovative and relatively simple approach to a difficult situation results in an effective solution. Game warden Elmo Heter and the stalwart beaver, Geronimo, joined forces 74 years ago to bring the eroded wilderness back to life. Their inspiring story should motivate today’s young to energetically confront the many formidable problems that their future may hold.

Geronimo and Elmo embody the story of man working together with nature toward the goal of a mutually sustainable world. The fact that both characters really existed and had a true bond makes the story heartwarming and inspirational with enormous power and appeal for kids of all ages. The sanguine conclusion of Beavers Away! should inspire children to think positively about their own solutions to the many difficult environmental issues they confront in daily life.

Jennifer Lovett, author and illustrator of Beavers Away!, is a conservation biologist who lives in Starksboro, Vermont. She learned about the amazing true story of Idaho’s parachuting beavers while working on her master’s degree in environmental science. Winter 2023 www.4LegsAndATail.com 9