Fall 2025

Newsletter Archive

10th International Beaver Symposium

Sharing Alberta's Beaver Expertise on the Global Stage

In September, Miistakis crossed the Atlantic to present the Alberta Beaver Beneficial Management Practices at the 10th International Beaver Symposium in Inverness, Scotland. The event brought together 150 beaver experts from 23 countries to share insights and build relationships across borders. Presentations spanned beaver population dynamics, genetics, and reintroduction efforts, alongside analyses of how beaver-engineered landscapes influence biodiversity, ecosystem function, and hydrology.

Other talks explored interspecific interactions (e.g. beavers with fish, wolves, etc.), human–beaver conflict mitigation, ecosystem services including carbon and water regulation, and tools for modelling, monitoring, and mapping beaver impacts.

Representing Miistakis, Holly joined a strong contingent of Canadian researchers contributing to the global exchange of knowledge about these remarkable ecosystem engineers. The discussions reinforced the universal value of sharing research and management practices to help people and beavers thrive together. Holly's presentation focused on the Alberta Beaver Beneficial Management Practices (2024) and the recently completed case study on the utility of the BMPs with the City of Red Deer. Her presentation caught the attention of agency staff from many countries who are keen to implement similar management approaches in their regions.

The symposium featured a field trip to the Cairngorms National Park, where participants visited beaver release sites that have successfully reestablished populations after centuries of extirpation in Scotland. The photo seen here shows a bank lodge of a beaver family relocated to the park in 2023.

Holly returns from the symposium with new connections to a global network of beaver experts and fresh insights from the latest research—knowledge she's eager to integrate into Miistakis’ Working with Beavers project in Alberta and beyond.