In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and beyond, beavers are experiencing a bit of a renaissance. These large aquatic rodents are critical ecosystem engineers and play a role in mitigating the effects of climate change and strengthening wildlife habitats. However, decades of rampant trapping and views of beavers as a nuisance have decreased their numbers across the country. 

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem needs healthy beaver populations doing their job to help keep this place remarkable. Luckily, beavers are making a comeback. Their star power is soaring as climate resiliency heroes and efforts to bring back beavers are becoming a top priority.

Joining us on the podcast today is renowned conservation journalist and beaver believer Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter. Eager has won a slew of literary awards, including the 2019 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, Washington Post’s “50 Notable Works of Nonfiction,” Science News’ “Favorite Science Books of 2018,” and many more. It’s a fantastic book that should jump to the top of your reading list if you haven’t already checked it out. 

We had a lot of ground to cover, so we’ve split the conversation into two episodes. This episode, Part 1, will cover the history of beavers in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the fascinating relationship between beavers and wolves, how beavers combat the effects of climate change, and some surprising pushback when it comes to beaver restoration. Ben also informs us that vodka laced with beaver secretion is definitely a thing, so now we both unfortunately know that it exists.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is the land of 49+ Indigenous Tribes who maintain current and ancestral connections to the lands, waters, wildlife, plants, and more.

Voices of Greater Yellowstone was created by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, a conservation nonprofit dedicated to working with people to protect the lands, waters, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, now and for future generations.

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