In the Czech Republic, a family of beavers saved the government approximately 30 million Czech crowns (1.2 million euros) by building a dam that local authorities had been planning since 2018. According to Blic, the beavers began constructing the dam without any human intervention, effectively accomplishing a project that had been delayed due to bureaucracy and outstanding approvals.
The beavers chose to build their dam in a drainage canal created by the military on a former training ground in the Brdy region. This area had been causing headaches for local environmentalists due to its artificial drainage system, which they had been attempting to reverse. As reported by Izvestia, the beavers' activity contributed to the restoration efforts in the region.
"A beaver can build a dam in one or two nights," said local zoologist Jiří Vlček, according to Blic. "While humans have to obtain building permits, approve projects, and find funding, beavers simply act instinctively and quickly."
Authorities in the Czech Republic expressed their admiration for the beavers' work. "Beavers always know best," said Jaroslav Obermajer from the Nature Conservation Authority, as reported by Metro. "The places where they build dams are always chosen just right—better than when we design it on paper."
The beavers' dam successfully waterlogged the local floodplain, creating new wetlands vital for the river's habitat. According to Bild, the wetland provides favorable conditions for swamp inhabitants, including rare stone crayfish, frogs, and other endangered species.
"The beavers have done exactly what we had planned in tedious bureaucracy. And they did it for free," said Bohumil Fišer, head of the Administration for Protected Areas of the Czech Hills.
The dam project was part of the Czech Republic's plan to revitalize an area of the Brdy region that was once damaged by the erection of a military base. The authorities were planning the construction since 2018 but faced delays due to necessary permits and outstanding approvals. The local water management was negotiating projects and land ownership related to the river revitalization, facing challenges including unclear land ownership.
The beaver population in the Czech Republic is now estimated at around 15,000 animals, according to Helsingin Sanomat. While their activities have been beneficial in this case, in some regions of the country they can create problems by flooding agricultural lands or even damaging railway tracks.
According to Frankfurter Allgemeine, the beaver family in the Brdy Protected Landscape Area consists of the parents and two generations of young beavers.
At least one eight-member beaver family settled at the newly constructed dam, and more animals were sighted in the area. The beavers also built several smaller dams in other parts of the Klabava River, contributing further to the restoration efforts.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq