30 X 24 original acrylic painting on canvas
Earlier this summer a pair of beavers showed up in the wet meadow upstream of us where we walk our dogs. Every other day or so there would be a freshly cut aspen sapling felled across the path as it started to create a series of terraced wetlands, taking advantage of the especially high water table. I imagine those aspen saplings are like soft butter to a beaver – they definitely preferred them to everything else. As the summer wore on and we had less rain, the water table dropped and the pools dried up, so they moved to the river, building a dam at the head of a gorgey section of brook where I’ve seen them attempt dams before. Often a high flow will wash the dam out in this spot, but so far that hasn’t happened this summer. I have a dream of beavers building a massive complex of dams on this historically straightened and entrenched section of brook, allowing it to aggrade, reconnect the floodplain and eventually cut some wide meanders through the alder meadow. A girl can dream, yeah? But until then I’m just glad to know they’re there doing their beaver thing, healing the landscape and creating habitat for other plants and animals simply through their presence. My son put together this compilation of game camera videos from the camera we set up along the beaver’s skid trail – so many animals using the beaver highway!
Ships framed with a natural wood floater frame in a generously padded box. If you are local to Vermont you may also opt for “pickup” upon checkout at the Emile Gruppe Gallery in Jericho, VT.
30 X 24 original acrylic painting on canvas
Earlier this summer a pair of beavers showed up in the wet meadow upstream of us where we walk our dogs. Every other day or so there would be a freshly cut aspen sapling felled across the path as it started to create a series of terraced wetlands, taking advantage of the especially high water table. I imagine those aspen saplings are like soft butter to a beaver – they definitely preferred them to everything else. As the summer wore on and we had less rain, the water table dropped and the pools dried up, so they moved to the river, building a dam at the head of a gorgey section of brook where I’ve seen them attempt dams before. Often a high flow will wash the dam out in this spot, but so far that hasn’t happened this summer. I have a dream of beavers building a massive complex of dams on this historically straightened and entrenched section of brook, allowing it to aggrade, reconnect the floodplain and eventually cut some wide meanders through the alder meadow. A girl can dream, yeah? But until then I’m just glad to know they’re there doing their beaver thing, healing the landscape and creating habitat for other plants and animals simply through their presence. My son put together this compilation of game camera videos from the camera we set up along the beaver’s skid trail – so many animals using the beaver highway!
Ships framed with a natural wood floater frame in a generously padded box. If you are local to Vermont you may also opt for “pickup” upon checkout at the Emile Gruppe Gallery in Jericho, VT.
