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Beavers in Massachusetts
Introduction
The
beaver (Castor canadensis) is a valuable component of Massachusetts'
fauna. Beavers have played an active role in New England's ecology for
thousands of years. Not long ago the beaver was absent from the state.
In fact, it was absent from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. Intensive
unregulated hunting and trapping, combined with deforestation to clear
land for agriculture, led to the disappearance of beaver habitat and
the beaver. In the early 1900's, forested habitat started to recover
when many farmers abandoned their farms in order to take jobs in cities
or to start new farms in the more fertile Midwestern United States.
With the forests able to retake the landscape, the beaver was able to
return. In 1928, beaver were found in West Stockbridge. This was the
first recorded occurrence of beaver in the state since 1750! The return
of beaver was greeted with enthusiasm by the public and efforts to restore
a beaver population were undertaken. Specific actions taken included
the acquisition of three additional beaver from New York which were
released in Lenox in 1932. In 1946 there were some 300 beavers in 45
colonies all located west of the Connecticut River. By 1951 the beaver
population was such that the legislature authorized the establishment
of a beaver trapping season. Consequently, in 1952 regulations were
put in place to allow the regulated harvest of beaver. The regulations
were designed conservatively to insure the perpetuation and continued
growth of the beaver population.