(Photo courtesy of Think Wild)
Think Wild is sad to report that the Deschutes River will be off-limits for swimming this spring and summer due to increased risk of hungry beavers mistaking human limbs for tree branches.
We suspect that the increased incidence of accidental “gnawings” are a result of lack of food for these normally harmless, vegetarian aquatic rodents along our riverbanks. Visitors to the Old Mill and other riverside parks will notice that most willow, cottonwood, and other beaver diet favorites are increasingly fenced off for protection, leaving hungry beavers with no choice but to seek other options…
Fortunately, you can volunteer to plant beaver habitat and mitigate this insatiable hunger.
We hope that continued habitat plantings within our watersheds will restore the forage needed to “dam” beaver hunger throughout Central Oregon and ensure river safety for humans. Until then, we recommend staying at least five feet from the river bank, especially during dawn and dusk.
April fools (at least about the carnivorous beaver part. We don’t regulate Deschutes River swimming regulations — and we DO need your help planting beaver habitat! See below)!
Volunteer for a Beaver Habitat Planting Project This Spring
Want to get your hands on habitat in the field? Bring your interest in beavers, native wildlife and making a difference to a volunteer crew, creating habitat for beavers and other native wildlife.
Whether you’re looking for a short day trip close to home, or a longer two- to four-day trip where you can really dig into the dirt, there’s much work to be done and hands-on, hard-working volunteers can really help make a difference. Learn more about our upcoming projects in La Pine, Collier Memorial State Park, and Camp Sherman.
