Bella Vista Grant Report 2021
Through the Bella Vista Foundation's investment in May 2020 Think Wild has advanced conversations and understanding of the benefits of beavers and beaver related restoration in the Deschutes River (despite COVID limitations).
The Western Beavers Oregon program focuses on decreasing beaver mortality, and creating public awareness and resources which allow beaver to freely manipulate the environment in a way that has coevolved with native species for millennia.
Through this approach, we aim to increase success and longevity of human initiated riparian restoration work and expand purely beaver based work far beyond the bounds of such projects. By treating beaver as an "umbrella species," a multitude of ecosystem threats are addressed simultaneously and efficiently.
Because beavers are ecosystem engineers, this collaboration has a force multiplier effect, producing returns on investment far beyond those achieved through direct restoration alone.
There are four goal areas that we’ve pursued in the past year since funding was awarded. This report will touch on these activities, outcomes and the investments made to date.
