A sharp-toothed rodent could help save the Chesapeake Bay.
Environmentalists say only beavers and humans can change the landscape so dramatically. And beavers can slow the flow of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay for free.
Eight years ago, federal, state, and local officials across our region set some lofty goals to restore the Chesapeake Bay. But with the 2025 deadline approaching, many of those goals remain unmet.
Now some environmentalists are suggesting a voracious little rodent might help. Their plan: Leave it to beavers.
Across six states and D.C., the homes, workplaces, and streets of 18 million people, the rain flows off through channels and culverts, carrying the effluent of civilization out into our treasured Chesapeake Bay. Slowing the flow may be key to restoring the health of America’s largest estuary.
A gentle rodent, trapped and decimated by the millions since colonial times for beaver pelt hats and coats, could help.
"I think beavers, once they really take over a watershed, whether it's a little stream or the Bay, they can make huge difference," said Tom Horton, a longtime chronicler of the Chesapeake's travails, who wrote and narrated "Water's Way: Thinking Like a Watershed," for the Chesapeake Bay Journal. The 44-minute documentary touts beavers' ability to re-engineer stream systems and trap the sediment and pollution that plagues the Chesapeake.'>>>
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