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
Delaini Disher’s photo, “Well-Attended Field Demonstration” captures the use of livestock in sustainable farming, highlighting the importance of biomass collection from a grazed cover crop field.
Mckenzi Coleman's "Exclusion Fence" photo highlights the enduring value of exclusion fencing as a tool for protecting natural resources like salmon streams and safeguarding livestock.
The winning photo from the conservation district calendar contest highlights hands-on salmon education.
