Aquatic ecosystems in the Northwest continue to experience hydrologic changes as a result of a warming climate, often to the detriment of the species that inhabit them. As Northwest hydrologic regimes become more variable, the use of beaver reintroduction as an adaptation strategy to address impacts of climate change on streamflow and temperature has the potential to provide a number of benefits at the watershed scale. As ecosystem engineers, beavers have the capacity to not only protect existing functions of an ecosystem, but also buffer against future changes and habitat alterations.

This project aimed to identify and prioritize where beavers could be reintroduced within a watershed to increase hydrologic stability, groundwater recharge and ecosystem resilience. Using data from prior beaver reintroductions in the study area, a model was created to quantify beaver benefits and predict their potential to buffer climate impacts. A prioritized action plan was then developed to inform where beavers could be reintroduced or retained for the greatest ecological benefit. This project involved close collaboration with the Tulalip Tribes, a project partner, who will be using this action plan to prioritize sites and carry out beaver reintroductions.

This research demonstrated how beaver conservation and reintroduction can be used to reduce climate change impacts and help buffer against future changes. The results from this project provide a better understanding of how beavers alter ecological processes and how they can be used by restoration practitioners and planners for making management and long-term conservation decisions.