58 beavers turned Mount St Helens' wasteland into a thriving wetland
A population of 58 beavers has successfully restored a damaged wetland ecosystem near Mount St. Helens, which had been covered in volcanic sediment since the 1980 eruption. However, this ecological recovery is now threatened by a planned government sediment retention project.
Why it matters
This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of 'nature-based solutions' in environmental restoration while highlighting the conflict between infrastructure management and ecological conservation.
More than four decades after the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, one family in the US state of Washington has watched a damaged landscape slowly come back to life. The change did not happen because of heavy machinery or large restoration projects. It happened with the help of beavers.For years, the land behind Mark Smith's Eco Park Resort looked almost lifeless. Thick volcanic sediment covered the North Fork Toutle River after the eruption, making it difficult for plants, fish and wildlife to return. Smith and his family even called that part of their property the wasteland.But over the past five years, the return of nearly 60 beavers has transformed the area. Their dams, canals and lodges have created wetlands, deeper pools and new habitats that have allowed native plants and animals to return.
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