Leave it to Beavers

The stumps on the islands and shoreline display signs of beavers chewing. Beavers play a critical role in Sapsucker Woods’ ecosystem. When they fell trees, the fresh stumps stimulate plant growth and promote new tree shoots. Their clearing of trees also allows more light to penetrate the forest floor, providing much needed energy for ground plants, shrubs, and low canopy flora to grow and diversify the environment.

The structure you see near the pond outflow is a collaboration between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Facilities department and an engineering class at Cornell. The structure prevents the beavers from damming the outflow, which would in turn flood the trail.