Beaver
We were thrilled to discover that a beaver (or beavers, we’re honestly not sure) made its home in the Nine Mile Run restoration area. First spotted by a volunteer in 2019, the handiwork of the Castor canadensis can be seen upstream of Commercial Street.
It is a testament to the success of the stream restoration that it provides habitat for this species. And there are a few benefits: our beaver has been seen eating invasive Japanese knotweed and, as word spreads, more locals are visiting the park to get a glimpse. Additionally, when beavers eat black willow along the stream bed, the tree sends out multiple shoots from the stump, which provide habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates and stabilize the bank against erosion.
Trees are one of the beaver’s preferred food sources and, like all rodents, beavers’ teeth grow continuously, so chewing on hard things helps keep them short and sharp.
We encourage caution along the stream banks, as trees cut down by beavers adjacent to the stream can be a safety concern. Additionally, our team has placed protective cages around key tree specimens to keep them intact and the banks stabilized.
