The Importance of Beaver in Waterfowl Management at the Seney National Wildlife Refuge

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Abstract
Three years'' field studies in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan proved that beaver marshes and ponds were being intensively used by waterfowl for the following purposes: as a place to carry on courtship and set up territories, as brood-rearing habitat, as stop-over areas for spring migrants and gathering places for small flocks in late summer, and as refuge areas for dabbling ducks during the flightless period of their post-nuptial moult. An analysis of the physical and ecological characteristics of these beaver areas showed that certain factors were common to them and largely responsible for their strong attraction to waterfowl. These factors were high interspersion of cover and water, proper composition and juxtaposition of certain environmental types, average depth of water 18 in., abundant supply of food plants and especially of small animal forms, possession of sufficient isolation to guard against disturbance from people, and availability of suitable nesting cover. An "Index of Interspersion" based on the total number of occurrences of each cover type divided by the number of cover types present and on the average size of the cover type units was devised as an aid in measuring and comparing the amt. of interspersion of cover and water. A clear correlation between duckling production and this index was shown to exist- -those areas with the most favorable index leading in the number of ducklings annually produced. Several management measures for maintaining and increasing the amt. of suitable waterfowl evironment were suggested. The 1st was the utilization of proper trapping to keep the highest beaver population possible consistent with available food supply so as to avoid the abandonment of the beaver ponds. The 2d was the maintenance and repair of suitable abandoned beaver ponds. The 3d was the construction of man-made "beaver" ponds, imitating as closely as possible the environmental conditions produced by the beaver in its own impoundage. The 4th was the diversion of water to suitable dry marsh areas and allowing the beaver to infiltrate naturally and carry on his pond building activities.

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