Beaver ponds provide important waterfowl nesting habitat, as well as habitat for many wetland-dependent plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and fish. These ponds and wetlands provide aquatic feeding areas for moose. Without beavers and their impoundments, many of these wetland-dependent animals and plants would be less numerous or absent from the local landscape. After food resources are used up around a beaver pond, the beavers will abandon the area. Eventually, enough woody vegetation will become established to allow for re-colonization by beavers.
Beavers reach their peak of activity after the snow has melted and the spring rains begin.
It is at this time that new dams are built and old ones repaired and maintained. This is accompanied by increased foraging activity on fresh woody vegetation after the long winter. It comes as no surprise that this is also the time of year when most beaver-related complaints are received by the Agency of Natural Resources. The most common problems are from flooding of roads and private property caused by blocked culverts, which beavers find to be convenient dam sites. Other complaints are from the destruction of valuable timber or landscape vegetation.