The Beaver Manifesto

by Glynnis A. Hood

Beavers are the great comeback story—a keystone species that survived ice ages, major droughts, the fur trade, urbanization, and near extinction. Their ability to create and maintain aquatic habitats has endeared them to conservationists, but puts the beavers at odds with urban and industrial expansion. These conflicts reflect a dichotomy within our national identity. We place environment and our concept of wilderness as a key touchstone for promotion and celebration, while devoting significant financial and personal resources to combating "the beaver problem."

We need to rethink our approach to environmental conflict in general, and our approach to species-specific conflicts in particular. Our history often celebrates our integration of environment into our identity, but our actions often reveal an exploitation of environment and celebration of its subjugation. Why the conflict with the beaver? It is one of the few species that refuses to play by our rules and continues to modify environments to meet its own needs and the betterment of so many other species, while at the same time showing humans that complete dominion over nature is not necessarily achievable.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Glynnis Hood has worked in various protected areas throughout western Canada and into the Subarctic region and boreal plains. She served 19 years with Parks Canada initially as a national park interpreter and then as a park warden, with postings at Banff, Jasper, Waterton Lakes, Wood Buffalo, and Elk Island National Parks. Glynnis completed a MSc on human impacts on grizzly bear habitat availability, a PhD on beaver ecology and management, and is a professor emerita at the University of Alberta's Augustana Campus and an adjunct professor at the University of Saskatchewan. She lives in the Beaver Hills region of east-central Alberta, with three beaver lodges as her closest neighbours.

[Adapted from Rocky Mountain Books author page: https://rmbooks.com/book-author/glynn...]

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beavers are my absolute favourite animal in the entire world, no question, and have been for my entire life. So when I saw this book at Roots I knew I HAD to have it. After finishing the book (which was incredible and super well written) I emailed her and and she replied! She's an amazing person, really nice!

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not enough beavers.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review can be found on my blog.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you could every want to know about Canadian beavers.