Leave it to the Beavers

Beavers: Architects of Wildfire Resistance

with Dr. Emily Fairfax

Join us for a speaker series all about beavers and resilient watersheds!

Co-hosted by Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV), Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed (CPRW), Larimer Conservation District (LCD), and Rocky Mountain Flycasters (RMF), this monthly series (Feb–Sept 2026) brings together experts and community members to explore the powerful role beavers play in creating healthy, resilient ecosystems.

The June event in our Leave it to the Beavers speaker series is “Beavers: Architects of Wildfire Resistance" with Dr. Emily Fairfax.

Beaver dams and beaver mimicry structures are gaining traction as a low-cost, nature-based strategy for climate resilience. By slowing and storing water during wet periods, beavers keep riparian corridors well-watered and green, making them far less flammable during droughts. Dr. Fairfax's research shows these beaver-influenced areas serve as fire refugia, preserving mature riparian habitat even during megafires, and in some cases, actively altering wildfire behavior and spread. As evidence grows, it's becoming clear that partnering with beaver ecosystem engineering may be one of our most effective tools for building drought- and fire-resistant landscapes across the American and Canadian West.

Join us to discuss how to live with, protect, and empower these aquatic eco system engineers!