Welcome to Vanisle Wetlands

Most people only become aware of beavers when they are a nuisance, but did you know that biologists classify beavers as Keystone species? Beaver ponds create wetlands which are among the most biologically productive ecosystems in the world (1) They increase plant, bird and wildlife variety, (2) improve water quality, and (3) raise salmon and trout populations. This one species supports thousands of species. How is this possible? By opening the tree canopy, sunlight reaches the water and triggers an explosion of biological activity. Algae and aquatic plants grow in sun-drenched, nutrient-rich water. This organic material supports microscopic organisms, which are eaten by various invertebrates. These become food for fish, birds and mammals. An entire food chain is created in a beaver pond. While infamous for killing trees, beaver dams create diverse habitats. Grasses, sedges, bushes and saplings grow on the pond’s perimeter. These plants provide food and cover for foraging animals. Beaver ponds become magnets for a wide variety of wildlife. From essential game species like duck, muskrat, mink and otter to vulnerable anadromous fish like rainbow smelt, steelhead and salmon, biodiversity thrives due to beaver ponds. Beaver dams protect downstream spawning areas from sedimentation and create calm, deep pools, increasing salmon and trout populations. Did you know that beaver dams improve water quality? By functioning as a natural sponge, they store runoff water and slowly release it, this helps to reduce downstream flooding and erosion.
The algae and plants in the pond improve water quality by absorbing dissolved nutrients, processing organic wastes, and detoxifying runoff toxins (e.g. heavy metals, pesticides and fertilizers). These wetlands serve as the “Earth’s Kidney”. Beaver ponds also recharge our drinking water aquifers, stabilize the water table, and better maintain stream flows during droughts. Beavers are even being reintroduced around the country to improve arid lands. Beavers are sometimes regarded as pests, but in truth, no single species will benefit your watershed better. Although they can present a challenge, flow devices can control problematic flooding and reap countless environmental rewards. Beavers are “Worth A Dam”. 

a pipe and cage system, pond levellers can help manage the height and volume of water near Beaver dams they are inexpensive, long-term and require little maintenance.

Road culverts are the most common sites for problematic beaver damming. A blocked culvert can quickly cause dangerous and expensive road safety issues. Fortunately, nearly every road culvert can be protected from beavers in a cost-effective, long-term, environmentally friendly and humane manner.

Our tree-wrapping services can help deter beavers from chewing. A great preventative measure to keep large trees from falling onto your property or from blocking roads.