Best of CASE District VIII Award
 

Institution: Boise State University

Title of entry: The Beavers are Back!

About this entry: Water scarcity is a perpetual concern in Idaho and the Intermountain West. This story is about a Boise State researcher, Jodi Brandt, who was in the field, using satellite data to map water in semi-arid regions. To her surprise, the more she talked to ranchers, officials and others, she heard them talking about the benefits of beaver rewilding, or reintroducing beavers – nearly hunted to extinction in the past for their pelts – to the land.

Beavers build dams, creating "hydraulic inefficiency.” This holds water in place, benefiting farmers and ranchers who have more water to sustain their cattle and horses for a longer period of time each year. More water also benefits local ecosystems and native species.

Brandt saw a research opportunity and partnered with Joe Wheaton, a professor of riverscapes at Utah State University, who works in beaver rewilding. They received a grant from NASA to connect Brandt's satellite water data with Wheaton's rewilding work.

The end goal: Getting an accurate picture of how beavers are healing landscapes, potentially mitigating drought and lessening the threat of wildfires.