Think Wild Leads Landmark Beaver Surveys in Malheur National Forest

Photo Credit: Think Wild

Beaver Works Oregon, a Think Wild program, has completed the first-ever community-engaged beaver sign surveys across the Malheur National Forest (MNF), marking a major step toward improving science-based management of beaver populations and riparian ecosystems in Oregon’s Blue Mountains.

The Community-Engaged Beaver Research and Monitoring Project, a collaboration between Think Wild, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Oregon Department of Forestry, mobilized volunteers, interns, and land management staff to document beaver presence and habitat use across 160 stream segments in 57 streams spanning more than 4,000 square kilometers - an area larger than Rhode Island.

“This project represents a turning point for how we understand and manage beavers on public lands,” said Dr. Maureen Thompson, Beaver Works Oregon Program Manager. “ It helps us move beyond anecdotes toward consistent, spatially balanced information that can guide>maureen@thinkwildco.org. Learn more at beaverworksoregon.org.