Pickerel Pond Town of Natick

beaver dam & water flow device Open Spaces & Trails

Can you spot

the beaver dam?
Look to the left of the bridge!
Beavers construct dams in low lying areas with
moving water. Dams trap water and cause ponds
to form. Beavers build dams by cutting down
trees and branches with their strong front teeth.
They then form the dam’s base with broken
branches by driving them into the stream bed
log. The beavers continue stacking up branches
and logs to construct the dam.
Why do beavers build dams? Beavers gain an
advantage as they are faster and more protected
in water than they are on land due to their
short legs. The dams also produce and enlarge
wetland areas allowing other species to thrive in
a productive ecosystem! Because of this, they
are commonly referred to as “keystone” species
since their ponds support biodiversity and
endangered species.
developing
wetland habitats
Beaver dam-building creates wetlands. The dams trap sediment
and debris, slow the flow of water and raise water levels in the
habitat. The result is an altered environment, a wetland. You are
currently standing on the edge of the wetlands at Pickerel Pond.
Beavers protect wetlands by constantly managing the dam and
flow of water. They play a significant role in maintaining healthy
ecosystems by creating wetland habitats and even recharging
aquifers. Critical animal species are also protected and provided
a healthy habitat to survive and thrive.
beaver dam domed intake fence
pond level
concrete block Beaver tracks!
~40 foot pipe

Diagram Credit Beaver Solutions LLC You are here

coexisting with beavers

Of course, new and enlarged wetland systems can also negatively affect our neighborhoods
with increased flooding. To coexist with the beavers, we installed a water flow device (pictured
above) to help keep the trails dry. This device creates a leak in the beaver dam, allowing water
to flow and stopping further flooding. The submerged pipe and large fence structure ensure
the beavers cannot detect the pipe’s water flow. This deters the beavers from clogging the
Visit the beaver lodge
pipe and causing flooding.
near the South Overlook!
Pickerel Pond Town of Natick
beaver habitats & lifestyle Open Spaces & Trails

beaver homes
This is where beavers live! Beavers can live
between ten and 15 years. They will live in one
location for about ten years, or until the food
supply runs low. This lodge is currently empty,
but they may have built another nearby.
Beavers build lodges from sticks and mud
to protect against predators. Each lodge
includes a hollow area for sleeping, eating, and Atlantic White Cedar Bog
nursing their young. Lodges also incorporate a
ventilation shaft at the top for fresh air, as well
Did you know?
as two water-filled tunnels for entry and exit. Pickerel Pond’s freshwater bog consists of a rare tree species: the
Atlantic White Cedar! The Atlantic White Cedar bog community is rare
because of historic logging, filling wetlands, and changes in water quality
and is considered imperiled in Massachusetts. Look for Pickerel Pond’s
Atlantic White Cedars around the edges of the open marsh and along the
beaver basics Island Trail. You may see the rare Hessel’s hairstreak butterfly, a variety
of conifer nesting birds, and other wildlife in this habitat.
Pickerel Pond is home to a beaver family!
Beavers are vegetarians and can weigh up
to 45 to 60 pounds. Large webbed hind feet Can you spot the
and hand-like front paws equip these aquatic
mammals for swimming. Beavers rely mostly beaver lodge?
on hearing and smell, as their eyesight is not Look straight ahead!
well developed.
Beavers typically eat woody and aquatic
vegetation. Sharp teeth and strong lower
Beaver tracks! You are here

jaw muscles allow beavers to cut through

vegetative material ranging from shrubs to
trees. A beaver’s teeth never get worn down
because they are always growing!
Visit the beaver dam
near Wethersfield Bridge!