Smokey the Beaver (Zoom webinar)
Event information
Date: Thursday, February 6, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Fee: Free!
Age: Ages 14 or older.
Contact: 815-722-9301
Photo via Shutterstock
Event details
***Please note this program is being offered virtually via Zoom.***
Smokey the Bear? Find out why it might rightly be Smokey the Beaver in this virtual presentation! Beaver dams and beaver mimicry such as beaver dam analogs are gaining popularity as a low‐cost, nature-based strategy to build climate resiliency at the landscape scale. Beavers slow and store water in ponds, canals and the surrounding soil during wet periods, which can then be accessed by riparian vegetation during droughts. As a result, the well-watered vegetation in beaver-dammed riparian corridors is less flammable. Dr. Emily Fairfax’s research has shown that these beaver-influenced patches of the landscape stay green and can serve as fire refuges, preserving intact, mature riparian habitat, even during megafires.
Fairfax is an assistant professor of geography at the University of Minnesota and an affiliate faculty member at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. She uses a combination of remote sensing, modeling and field work to understand how beaver ecosystem engineering can create drought and fire-resistant patches in the landscape under a changing climate. Her research has been featured internationally in National Geographic, the New York Times, the L.A. Times, BBC, Vox and others.
Find even more inspiration by visiting “Smokey Bear: The Rudy Wendelin Collection.” Be sure to see all 19 pieces on display across participating nature centers from Jan. 17 to March 2.
Event requirements
Registration required by Thursday, Feb. 6.
The meeting ID and password for the Zoom session will be sent via email after registration.