King County is innovating its approach to habitat restoration by incorporating the natural behaviors of beavers, whose populations are making a significant recovery. The county’s new Planning for Beavers Manual is designed to assist ecologists and engineers in creating projects that leverage beaver activities to enhance biodiversity and improve water quality. By using beavers as partners in restoration efforts, King County aims to promote healthier, more resilient ecosystems.
Senior Ecologist Jennifer Vanderhoof emphasizes the shift in perspective: "Rather than viewing beavers as a nuisance, we now understand they help create healthier, more resilient landscapes for people, salmon, and wildlife." Beavers are natural engineers, constructing complex stream habitats that store water, reduce erosion, and support a variety of species. This updated approach to habitat restoration seeks to incorporate these natural processes to increase project success while minimizing impacts on nearby landowners.
As John Taylor, Director of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, states, “Restoring critical salmon habitat requires ingenuity and adaptability – and our employees, like the beavers, demonstrate both.” This new approach highlights the potential for working alongside nature to achieve lasting environmental benefits
Palouse Conservation District’s FLOURISH program is a farmer-led effort advancing soil health and climate resilience across the Inland Northwest.
Generations of farming along Hangman Creek have faced erosion and water quality challenges. Through a partnership between the Spokane and Pine Creek Conservation Districts and the Washington State Department of Ecology, local landowners are restoring natural stream channels, planting native vegetation, and stabilizing creek banks, all while keeping working lands productive. Together, they’re proving that voluntary conservation benefits both farms and fish.
Generations of farming along Hangman Creek have faced erosion and water quality challenges. Through a partnership between the Spokane and Pine Creek Conservation Districts and the Washington State Department of Ecology, local landowners are restoring natural stream channels, planting native vegetation, and stabilizing creek banks, all while keeping working lands productive. Together, they’re proving that voluntary conservation benefits both farms and fish.
