How observing beavers from space can aid in recovery in drought-stricken areas
Environmental Benefits of Beavers
Beaver ponds and wetlands store water in the face of drought, filter pollutants, provide habitat for endangered species, and combat wildfires. In California, the value of the Canadian beaver is estimated in the millions of dollars, and the state has recently committed to their restoration.
Challenges of Studying Beavers
Despite the benefits of beavers, our knowledge remains riddled with gaps. We do not know how many there are, which direction their populations are headed, or which watersheds are in dire need of more beavers. Few states have studied beavers systematically, and moreover, many beaver ponds are located in remote rivers far from human settlements, making it nearly impossible to count the beavers. “There’s so much we don’t understand about beavers, partly because we don’t have a knowledge base about their locations,” according to Emily Fairfax, a beaver researcher at the University of Minnesota.
Developing a Model for Detecting Beavers
Over the past several years, a team of beaver scientists and Google engineers has trained an algorithm to detect beaver structures in satellite images. Their creation has the potential to transform our understanding of these engineering animals and help states affected by climate change, such as California, in their rehabilitation efforts. Although the model has not yet become public, researchers are already excited about its potential. “Our statewide efforts should leverage this powerful tool for photography,” according to Kristen Wilson, the lead scientist at the Nature Conservancy.
Applications of the Beaver Detection Model
The model can be used to estimate beaver populations, monitor population trends, and calculate the ecosystem services provided by beavers, such as water storage and fire prevention. It can help identify areas where beavers should be reintroduced and focus on restoring rivers and wetlands and creating conservation areas. It could allow researchers to track beaver spread in the Arctic as the climate changes or their movements in South America, where beavers were introduced in the 1940s and have since spread. “We really can’t keep up with all the requests we’re getting,” according to Emily Fairfax, a scientific advisor for EEAGER.
Applying the Model in California
The most promising application of EEAGER may be in California. The Golden State has a complicated relationship with beavers: for decades, the state has generally denied that the species is native, a result of fur trade on an industrial scale that removed beavers from the West Coast before biologists could properly survey them. Although recent historical research has shown that beavers belong almost everywhere in California, many water managers and farmers still consider them a nuisance and regularly kill them due to road damming and interference with irrigation infrastructure. However, these attitudes are gradually changing. After all, no state needs the water storage services that beavers provide more than fire- and drought- and flood-prone California. In recent years, thanks to a continuing campaign called “Bring Back the Beaver,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has begun to renew its beaver-related policies. In 2022, the state allocated more than $1.5 million for beaver restoration and announced the hiring of five scientists to study and support beavers. It has also modified its official approach to dealing with beaver conflict to focus on coexistence rather than lethal removal. This fall, the wildlife department transported a family of seven beavers to the ancestral lands of the Mountain Maidu people – the first beaver release in the state in nearly 75 years.
Future
The Model
What is in store for EEAGER after the trial in California? The main thing, according to Akerstin, is its training to recognize beaver structures in new locations. (Although beaver dams and ponds look similar in every state, the model also relies on contextual clues from surrounding landscapes, and the aromatic grass plateau in Wyoming looks very different from the deciduous forest in Massachusetts.) The team also needs to determine EEAGER’s long-term fate: Will it remain a tool hosted by Google? Will it spin off and become an independent product? Or will it become a service managed by a university or nonprofit organization? “This is the future challenge – how do we make this more feasible and globally usable?” according to Korwin. The beaver revolution may not be televised, but it will certainly be documented by satellites.
This story first appeared on wired.com.
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