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
Established in the 1890s and donated to Washington State University in 2020, Vetter Farm is jointly managed by the Stevens County Conservation District and WSU Extension. This 158-acre property serves as a working demonstration farm, supporting soil health research, agroforestry trials, and educational field days that bring local producers together to share ideas and test new approaches.
In the glacial valleys of Stevens County, the Hagen family partners with the Stevens County Conservation District to advance voluntary conservation on their registered Black Angus and Hereford operation. Through programs like VSP and Floodplains by Design, they’re improving soil health, managing manure responsibly, and maintaining productive irrigated pastures.
Jefferson County CD partnered with Spring Rain Farm to install multistory riparian buffers that protect wetlands while keeping the farm productive. It’s a working example of how restoration and agriculture can thrive together.
