Cyndi Bohannon

The Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) is arguably one of the most majestic of all raptors. Solitary in nature, a group would be called a Parliament. Of the order Strigifermes and family Strigidae, the Great Horned owl is considered a “true owl”. The other owl family, Tytonidae include barn owls. Eight sub-species have been recognized. The territories of sub-species rarely overlap.

The largest owl in the United States, it can stand 18 to 27 inches and have a wingspan of 48 to 60 inches! The Great Horned owl is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas, inhabiting all ecosystems except deep desert and Arctic tundra. The overall coloration ranges from near white in the far northern portion of their range to dark chocolate brown in the southern regions.

Size and weight varies geographically with the larger, heavier individuals living in colder climates. The females are larger than the males and weight ranges between two and a half and four pounds. All sub-species share the overall markings: prominent ear-tufts or “horns”, white patch at the throat, narrow bars on the front and a random mottled back.

The Great Horned Owl primarily hunts at night, but sightings at dawn and dusk are not unusual. Perched high above an open area, it silently swoops down upon almost anything that moves. Its diet is extremely diverse, but small to medium mammals, birds and waterfowl are favorites. It is the only known predator of the skunk.

Unlike many raptors, the Great Horned Owl will walk on the ground to gather crawfish, amphibians, reptiles or large insects. It have been known to walk into henhouses and wade into shallow water for a meal. Owls swallow small prey whole or take larger prey to a safe perch.

It is estimated that the Great Horned Owl can lift prey up to twice its weight. Non-digestible portions of dinner such as feathers, hair and bone are compacted by the stomach into a tight pellet which is regurgitated. These pellets yield a fascinating glimpse into the diet of the Great Horned Owl.

The most dramatic feature of the Great Horned Owl’s feet are the talons; needle sharp points pierce prey easily. But several adaptations allow for more efficient hunting. The underside of the owl’s foot is rough and knobby which provides superior grasping. The bones of the foot are much stronger than other birds to survive the impact with prey. Without conscious thought, the talons continue to ratchet closed until the owl decides to open them. Massive thigh muscles give the talons their strength.

Like other birds, the “relaxed” position of the feet is closed. This helps keep the owl on its perch even when it is asleep. Two of the four toes always face forward and one of the four toes always face backward. The fourth toe is uniquely flexible and faces forward during flight and backward when perching. During a strike, the toes fan into an oval shape.

Adaptations in eyesight and hearing make the Great Horned Owl a formidable predator. At a glance, the bright golden yellow eyes mesmerize the observer. Contrary to popular lore, the nocturnal Great Horned Owl has equally excellent vision during the day and the dead of night. The eyes are not spherical like mammals, but instead are oblong and fixed in bony orbs. To compensate, the neck has fourteen neck vertebrae allowing for 270 degrees of rotation.

  Great  Horned Owls have three eyelids. The top eyelid “blinks”, owls frequently blink eyes independently of each other, appearing to wink at the observer. The lower eyelid raises to meet the closed upper lid for sleeping. A third eyelid, a translucent nictitating eyelid functions as a “windshield  wiper” that slides across the eye at a 45 degree angle.

The Great Horned Owl’s extraordinary hearing depends on many adaptations, including a  much larger and more complex area of the brain that processes hearing located in the medulla. The asymmetric placement of ears allows the Great Horned Owl to triangulate the source of a sound without tilting or twisting the head. Facial disks and “ear” tufts can be shaped much like a radar dish to channel sounds even more effectively.

The feathers of the Great Horned Owl are uniquely designed to limit the noise of flight. Compared to other birds, owls have few down feathers, instead the contour feathers have downy barbules and the leading edge has flutings or fimbriare. The wings are relatively large and rounded which allows for slow silent flight. The Great Horned Owl is a perfectly designed stealth hunter. Even the legs and feet are covered in feathers! These tiny feathers provide warmth and act as tactile sensors.

The courtship between owls begin in October and is marked by greatly increased vocalizations as single owls try to locate mates. By December, the mated pairs will begin singing duets. The female may be physically larger, but the male’s voice is much lower. Pairs are monogamous and remain in their territory year round. This territory is aggressively protected while the pair is raising chicks.

Pairs often start with an abandoned raven or squirrel nest and proceed to improve it. Tree hollows are sometimes selected. Either way, mating occurs in the early spring, resulting in a usual clutch of two eggs. Incubation is 30 – 37 days and the hatchlings will be brooded continuously for two weeks.

Hatchlings are bright white puffballs that slowly gain their distinctive plumage.  Nestlings move from the nest to nearby branches at about six weeks and fledge a week or two later. 

Great Horned owlets are one of the first animals that arrive at the Wildlife Center each spring. Great Horned Owls nest much earlier than other birds because survival of their offspring hinge on the babies being old enough to hunt at the peak of summer.

This year saw a dramatic increase in the numbers of Great Horned owlets finding their way to us for care. It is believed that the Ike ravaged squirrel and crow nests did not provide a sufficient base for the Great Horned owls to embellish.

On January 29th, WR&E held its rescheduled Open House.  The event was originally scheduled for September 13, 2008, but as many Houstonians remember that was the eve of Hurricane Ike. WR&E was excited to share our second anniversary with everyone that has supported the Wildlife Center.

Our volunteers allow us to provide care for thousands of animals. Without their time, energy and empathy we couldn’t provide such excellent care for this underserved population. Our volunteer veterinarians provide unmatched medical care by volunteering at the Wildlife Center or accepting patients at their own practices.

Several of our supporters are graphically talented and have donated their time and creativity to enhance the Wildlife Center’s lobby, newsletter, Website (new and improved coming soon) and our educational lectures. Last but not least are the thousands of supporters who’s donations purchase the formula, food, medicine, first aid and other supplies.

WR&E was pleased to honor the Texas General Land Office Oil Spill Prevention and Response Division for providing ten years of Oiled Wildlife Response workshops; Aramco Services Company, Chevron and ConocoPhillips for fifteen continuous years of support; BP and Data Display AV Company for the monitors, cameras and educational display for the Wildlife Center lobby, Limb Design for designing the mural for the lobby, Bechtel for printing the WR&E newsletter and Marathon Oil Company for providing presentation banners. 

Greg Pollock, Deputy Commissioner Texas General Land Office Oil Spill Prevention and Response Division accepts WR&E’s recognition for sponsoring ten years of Oiled Wildlife Response workshops.

WR&E also thanks our musicians from Houston Community College music department for providing entertainment, Banfi for the wine, Chevron, Webster Veterinarian Supply, IDEXX Laboratories and Schering Plough Animal for providing the food for the celebration.

Wildlife Rehab and Education

Benefit Golf Tournament

 The WR&E annual golf tournament is the single largest fundraiser hosted by WR&E. Proceeds from this tournament help provide food and medications necessary to care for the thousands of injured and/or orphaned wildlife which will enter our doors throughout 2009. During 2008 we cared for almost 7000 injured and orphaned native Texas wildlife.

We extend our deep appreciation for all who participated! Thanks to Sprint Logistics LP and Seabreeze Environmental Landfill for providing drinks to keep participants from getting thirsty and Mario’s Flying Pizza for the wonderful lasagna and spaghetti luncheon. Our sponsors helped to provide golfers with snacks, tees, balls, golf shirts and everyone received a door prize.

For the second year in a row, street-wise crows stole “goodie bags” from golf carts. These “goodie bags” contained candy, crackers, golf balls and worse yet – door prize tickets. It was rather humorous to watch grown men attempting to catch a crow flying away with his goodies.

WR&E Educational Ambassadors, Screech Owl and Red-tailed Hawk took center stage during check-in and trophy presentation. An educational conservation message was presented to all at the luncheon.

WR&E would also like to add a very special thank you to EJ Rogers. EJ has been solely responsible for organizing this golf tournament since its inception five years ago. Despite health challenges of her own, EJ not only rose to the challenge, but planned an event that far surpassed her previous fundraisers. Through her countless hours of dedication, EJ defines the committed spirit of a volunteer’s gift of love – TIME. EJ, thank you for all you do! None of this would be possible, year after year, without the unwavering support and commitment from the WR&E volunteers. THANK YOU!!

  Thank you to our Hole Sponsors

 Akzo Nobel

Alpha Technical Services

Carl Gullick, DDS

Clean Gulf Associates

CITGO – Lake Charles

Marathon Oil Corporation

Max and Kim Bush Oil Mop, LLC

Southside Place Animal Hospital

The Response Group

Thank you to Mario’s Flying Pizza - Seabrook & Webster For the wonderful lunch  

Thank you to Sprint Logistics LP and Seabreeze Environmental Landfill For the drinks  

Thank you to Carr Environmental Group For supplying the golf balls

Thank you to Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. For the men’s and women’s watches Awarded at the Putting Contest

First Place - Shell Pipeline

 

 

Second Place - Bealine Environmental

Third Place - Oil Mop, LLC

 Sharon Schmalz, Executive Director

The devastation that Ike wreaked is difficult to comprehend. Many animals and birds were displaced and injured, but because Ike struck at the beginning of the squirrel’s second litter of the year, that population has been hit the hardest. Hurricane Ike brought us over 1500 squirrels! During the three week period post-Ike, several hundred other wild animals were also brought to us for care.

WR&E wants to send a huge THANK YOU to the Houston SPCA, NWRA members, IWRC members and the hundreds of individuals and organizations who have contacted us with encouraging words, offers of supplies, financial donations and hands to feed babies. Knowing that people from every walk of life, from one coast to the other, were sending their hope and concern buoyed us.

WR&E is uniquely positioned to respond to disasters such as Ike. We are no stranger to disaster, our oiled wildlife response team responds to oil and chemical spills along the entire Gulf Coast and our affiliation with the Houston SPCA has provided even more expertise and response capability. 

WR&E prepared written procedures and contingency plans, placed rescue and response supplies in containers that could be airlifted in response to a wildlife disaster and trained our personnel and volunteers. Then we waited and prayed we were ready. 

I’ve been impressed and touched by the people who love wildlife and those that care for the orphaned and injured. Hundreds of caring people left their damaged homes, used precious gasoline and drove to the Wildlife Center to bring the orphaned and injured to us for help.

Volunteers donated thousands of hours of time, individual wildlife rehabbers accepted the smallest and those ready for an outdoor cage and our network of rehab organizations rallied to transfer some of the load. What a wonderful group of people you are!

Our affiliation with the Houston SPCA was key to the overwhelming success of  WR&E’s response to Hurricane Ike. A centralized permanent facility gave the public a single point of contact for the orphaned and injured or to donate the gift of time, money or supplies.  The HSPCA opened their arms and their generator powered facility to us after we lost power and shared volunteers and veterinary professionals.

I send my deepest gratitude on the behalf of native Texas wildlife to each and every one that pulled together during this devastating crisis to save so many lives.  Thank you.

 4th Annual Wildlife Rehab and Education Benefit Golf Tournament

The WR&E annual golf tournament is the single largest fundraiser hosted by WR&E. Proceeds from this tournament help provide food and medications necessary to care for the thousands of injured and/or orphaned wildlife which will enter our doors throughout 2008.

We extend our deep appreciation for all who participated! Thanks to Republic Waste Services and Rustin Transportation for providing drinks to keep participants from getting thirsty. The weather stayed overcast, but there were breaks of sun and the wind laid down shortly after dawn.

The azeleas were at peak bloom and the wildlife plentiful. Whistling ducks, herons, cranes, comorants, turtles, fox squirrel and a pair of BALD EAGLES were sighted. A  sun bathing alligator near a lake kept golfers at bay. Errant balls finding their way to the waters’ edge were gladly left as tribute. Street-wise crows stole “goodie bags” from golf carts.

These “goodie bags” contained candy, crackers, golf balls and worse yet – door prize tickets. It was rather humorous to watch grown men attempting to catch a crow flying away with his goodies. The crows were smart enough to target the snacks, but none showed up to claim door prizes.

WR&E Educational Ambassadors took center stage during check-in and  trophy presentation igniting the imagination and opening hearts. An educational conservation message was presented to all at the luncheon, which included a special educational ambassador. The Red-tailed Hawk came to WR&E emaciated with an injured wing and potential head injury. When it was determined that he would be non-releasable WR&E was left in a quandary – how could we euthanize such a beautiful and surprisingly docile hawk? Luckily for him and us, WR&E had “room at the inn”. No words can equal the impact of seeing him in person knowing mankind is responsible for his tragic but in this case, redemptive journey.

Once the ‘swinging’ festivities were complete, we followed our noses to a delicious BBQ lunch. Kudos to Intergulf Corporation for providing memorable meal. An educational presentation with the red-tailed hawk was a crowd pleaser prior to door prizes (at least for those who had survived the baggie thieves).

WR&E expressed their appreciation to hole sponsors with beautiful  framed wildlife prints. Many in attendance won great door prizes. WR&E would also like to add a very special thank you to EJ Rogers. EJ has been solely responsible for organizing this golf tournament since its inception four  years ago. Despite health challenges of her own, EJ not only rose to the challenge, but planned an event that far surpassed her previous fundraisers. Through her countless hours of dedication, EJ defines the committed spirit of a volunteer’s gift of love – TIME. EJ, thank you for all you do! None of this would be possible, year after year, without the unwavering support and commitment from the WR&E volunteers. THANK YOU!!

First Place - The O'Brien Group

Second Place - Egret Bay Neurology

Third Place - Praxair

  Thank you to our wonderful donors!

Lunch – Intergulf Corporation

Drinks – Republic Waste Services and Rustin Transportation

$1000 and up Intergulf Corporation Hess Corporation

$500 – $999 Alpha Technical Services Corp. A&B Environmental Service, Inc. CITGO Petroleum Corporation Oil Mop, LLC Akzo Nobel Polymer Chemicals The Response Group ConocoPhillips Company Mavis Fujii, M.D. Egret Bay Neurology Western Summit Constructors, Inc. Carl Gullick, D.D.S. Praxair Ken Stearns

$100 – $499 Andrews Kurth LLP Craig Pogue Charlie Scott Mike Vaughters Byron Caufman Carolyn Ecton Mike Berman William Mullis Jeff Nuss De’Cara Freund Douglas Clarke Carr Environmental Group, Inc, Odfjell Terminals, Inc. The O’Brien’s Group Roger Scheuermann Sandridge Operating Company Houston Texans Football Team Peter Janes James Cooksey Carl Hennagir William Goff Shell Pipeline Company Shell Exploration Diamond Offshore United Salt Univar USA Inc. Patrick Hodskins Naegeli Transportation Jesse Grimaldo

Sharon Schmalz, Executive Director

Since WR&E was formed, we have dreamed of a wildlife center. Today that dream has been realized. Wildlife Rehab & Education (WR&E) in affiliation with the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA) will soon celebrate the official opening of a wildlife center, caring for wildlife from the woodlands to the wetlands.  

Every year we care for over 7000 wild animals, educate over 10,000 children and adults, accept all native wild animals that need care, respond to oiled wildlife along the Gulf Coast, and answer thousands of phone calls from the general public. All of this accomplished with a volunteer staff.

Over the past several years, senior wildlife rehabilitators have been worried that we had reached a “breaking point”. Instead, it turns out it was only a “turning point”!  

The Board of Directors of the HSPCA had the foresight to realize in their long-range goals that wildlife in the Houston area needed even more assistance…probably one of the reasons HSPCA was recently honored as national animal shelter of the year. WR&E has had a relationship with the HSPCA for over 15 years and worked in concert with them when concerned citizens would notify or drop off wildlife at HSPCA. They have offered to provide financial support and services and help WR&E create a state of the art wildlife rehabilitation facility on Katy Rd., which will be located next to their main shelter on Portway Drive.

WR&E will now be able to expand and enhance programs by:

•Meshing wildlife rehabilitation knowledge with veterinary medical knowledge.

•Providing a central facility for concerned citizens to deliver native wildlife.

•Providing a central facility for presenting environmental education programs for adults and children with an emphasis on respect for wildlife, the environment and for each other. •Facilitating a training location with materials and supplies for new volunteers and wildlife rehabilitators.

•Improving the ability to respond to oiled wildlife with additional trained personnel and a facility to house oiled wildlife during the rehabilitation process.

Groups escorted into the facility were small in number (up to 10) to allow interaction with tour facilitators. Tours began in the 4,000 square foot general animal care room, complete with bird nursery (including incubators and heated aquariums) and netted fledgling room as well as areas for raptor, water bird and song bird care. The other side of the room showcased the mammal area which included incubators for the babies and larger crates for juveniles and injured animals.

Guests were introduced to other facets of wildlife care including a triage room and surgery room (which is still under development). To date, several donors have begun to contribute surgical apparatus (i.e. anesthesia machine and an autoclave, etc.) to equip the room. The tour included a glimpse of the giant warehouse space, which can be used to house animals temporarily if the need arises. One could only imagine the effectiveness of such an enormous weatherproof space when and if the scenario presented itself.

WR&E wishes to extend our appreciation to the numerous WR&E volunteers and the Houston SPCA employees which worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring about this success. In addition, special thanks goes out to our community friends that dropped by to learn more about what the Wildlife Center is striving to offer injured and orphaned wildlife in our area.  All had an enjoyable day.

September 20, 2007 was the official GRAND OPENING of Wildlife Rehab & Education’s Wildlife Center. Over three hundred people and media was in attendance.

The banner in the background extended WR&E’s profound thanks to the individuals and organizations who brought the Wildlife Center to fruitarian. The wonderful buffet and soft drinks in the foreground was provided by Lee Ann Kulka with Webster Veterinary, Jeff Rushing with Idexx Laboratories and Anthony Villarreal with Schering Plough.

Performers from the Houston Community College Music Department at Central College provided a stimulating musical backdrop. WR&E extends its gratitude to Carl Nilsen – percussionist, Curtis Robinson – cellist, Students of Pamela Binghan – clarinet ensemble; Student of Bruce Brogdon – solo guitarist

Escorted facility tours featured the training room where a display of the many facets of WR&E was displayed. The lobby was adorned with the Peaceful Co-existence Learning House and a large screen monitor depicting various patients who have been cared for by the Center.

Thank you to Bechtel for the loan of a large display board. They generously produced and mounted all the pictures for the display.

Tim Ryan at Banfi Vintners provided several varietals for an informal wine tasting. Thank you for your generous donation, the wines were excellent and they added an festive air to the celebration.

Aquariums for birds old enough to not require heat

Phil Jose, a Wildlife Center volunteer handles the Great Horned Owl Educational Ambassador. In the background, the netted fledgling room provides a safe location to feed babies that are beginning to fly, but are not self-feeding yet. Once they are self-feeding, they are moved to mews located at the Wildlife Center. When ready for release, the birds are moved to soft release cages in remote locations.

Cyndi Bohannon, tour facilitator and permitted wildlife rehabber handles the Barred Owl Educational Ambassador.

Sharon Schmalz, Executive Director

Wildlife Rehab and Education reached an important milestone this year with the opening of its Wildlife Center. The achievement would not have been possible without the unfailing support of our volunteers, their families, individual contributors and our corporate sponsors. The workload has been grueling as we honored our commitments to the wildlife entrusted to our care, provided educational opportunities, taught Oil Spill Response Workshops, responded to oil spill drills as well as oil spills AND opened the Wildlife Center.

It is with a deep sense of wonder and respect that we look back on everything that has been accomplished this year and smile. With great pride and joy we hosted our Grand Opening. The event was magical at times as we shared the depth and breadth of our programs and commitment to native Texas wildlife. As always, the Educational Ambassadors took center stage thrilling young and old alike.

No words can equal the impact of seeing an owl or hawk in person knowing mankind is responsible for its tragic but in this case, redemptive journey. Our flagship ambassador, the Great Horned Owl cared for by Sharon Schmalz is nearing twenty-five years of educational service. He has educated tens of thousands of school children. He came to Sharon with multiple injuries, but it was the gunshot that severed half of one wing that made him non-releasable.

The good news is that the media, both print and television have taken a great interest in the Wildlife Center and have given us much greater exposure to audiences that we had previously been unable to reach. Even better, native Texas wildlife have benefited from the public’s awareness of who we are, what we do and our message of conservation. The bad news is that we have stretched our resources thin to service the increased demand. In particular, we need more suitable release sites for opossum, raccoon, squirrel and water birds, more volunteers and additional financial support.

As spring approaches, the Wildlife Center will be in desperate need of volunteers to care for thousands of babies. The Wildlife Center provides a unique environment to learn and care for a wide range of species without a 24/7 commitment. We also provide opportunities for volunteers to answer phones, enter data for animals arriving at the center, shuttle wildlife between rehabbers and to release sites, fund raise and assist with the tons of paperwork that comes with running a facility. In closing, Wildlife Rehab and Education wants everyone who has helped with our mission to serve native wildlife to know how deeply we appreciate your efforts. Thank you!

Cyndi Bohannon

Beavers (Castor canadensis) alter their environment to fit their needs to a greater degree than any other animal besides man. Their conversion of densely wooded streambeds to wetlands and finally to nutrient  rich meadows is an ecologic miracle.  Whether you consider the beaver to be an engineering genius or a tenacious pest that is ruining a beautifully wooded stream depends on exactly where the beaver “is being busy”.

Known to the American Indians as “sacred center”, beavers create rich habitat that act as a cradle for biodiversity. Wetlands provide habitat for almost half of all endangered species and their biodiversity is rivaled only by rainforests. Wetlands sponge up flood water, prevent erosion by slowing the progress of flowing water and raise the water table. Wetlands also act as earth’s kidneys to purify the water by providing natural “settling ponds” where bacteria can break down toxins and remove excess nitrogen from the system.

Beaver vary in weight and size based on their habitat with the larger, heavier individuals living in colder climates. On average the beaver is 20 – 60 pounds and has a body length of 30 to 40 inches long and a tail length of 10 – 13 inches.  Pairs mate for life during their third year and can live twenty or more years. They have a single litter per year which consist of two to four kits (up to six have been documented) that weigh about a pound each after a gestation of 110 to 120 days. Kits are born with open eyes and begin swimming within weeks of birth.

Beaver families consist of the mated pair, the yearling kits and the current litters. The yearlings babysit the current litter freeing the parents to search for food and maintain the dam and lodge. At three years of age, the kits leave home to venture out to find mates.

Beavers are strict vegetarians and prefer herbaceous plants. Favorites include water lily tubers, clover, grasses, leaves, berries and green bark. Contrary to popular belief, beaver do not eat wood. Unable to climb, beaver must fell the tree to continue their meal. Once the tree is stripped it is usually used to shore up the dam, build a second dam or expand the lodge. Beaver prefer fast growing trees that are two to eight inches in diameter, but have been known to fell trees as large as thirty inches! Logging and hauling trees to the final destination is dangerous business – for people and beavers.

Beaver have two driving needs; deep water to provide protection from predators and plenty of water vegetation, herbaceous plants and tree bark to satisfy a high metabolism. How individual beaver families satisfy these needs can be surprisingly different.

Quintessential beaver dams are built in shallow valleys to create deep slow water. If the creek is small, the dam will be built straight across, however, if the creek is larger, these amazing engineers construct a structurally stronger curved dam.

The dam is not the living quarters, the lodge is constructed integral to the dam or by itself near the center of the beaver pond or existing pond. Lodge construction involves logs set in a teepee shape and usually involve multiple “rooms” for living and food storage. The sides are weather proofed with smaller twigs, leaves and mud. The lodge will have multiple entrances for quick escapes.

Some beavers don’t build dams or lodges, instead they dig dens into the bank of a river. Similar to a lodge on the inside, their home will have multiple entrances that are hidden in deep water.

Effortless swimmers, beaver can breath-hold for as long as fifteen minutes. The flat tail is used as a rudder or slapped against the water surface as a warning of danger. Like the opossum, the overall nutrition of a beaver can be assessed at a glance because they store excess body fat in the tail.

The eyes are small with respect to the overall size of the beaver and it is believed that eyesight is relatively poor. The senses of hearing, smell and touch are highly developed. Nostrils can be closed when swimming or diving.

Beaver come into conflict with humans when harvesting trees and flooding interfere with the planned land uses of humans. Dams can flood roads, fields and homes, but if the beavers are removed from an otherwise desirable habitat, others will soon move in. It is much more effective to work “with” or “around” the beavers. U S Fish and Wildlife have the “Partners for Wildlife” program which can provide funding or materials for flow devices to qualified agencies or organizations.

Beaver incursions are self limiting because they eventually fell all of the trees and eat the vegetation within a safe distance from the den or lodge and are forced to move to new territory. They leave behind a rich wetland that provide habitat for hundreds of species including important nurseries for fish. In salmon streams, these abandoned ponds provide crucial nursery habitat. At some point the dam will break and the pond will drain leaving unusually rich soil to provide nutrition for the woodland meadow. Scrub, wildflowers and grasses will eventually yield to slower growing and taller trees. The reduction of sun to the ground will limit competition of smaller plants and grasses.  It has taken fifteen or more years for this cycle to occur, but the forest is now ready to support the next generation of beavers.