The average lifespan of a beaver in the wild is three to four years. The huge market for beaver felt was one of the main incentives that prompted the exploration and settlement of the west. Today beavers have both positive and negative economic values. The positive values center on the income generated by the harvest of beaver for their meat and fur, and the related recreational value. From 1942-86, nearly 400,000 beavers were taken by fur harvesters in Nebraska.
Beavers are also important in the management of river and wetland habitats.
Their construction of dams and the subsequent formation of pools create habitat for a large number of highly beneficial wildlife species. Negative impacts from beavers center on damage to trees and depredation to farm crops by cutting or flooding. Their burrowing activity can also cause shoreline erosion and structural damage to farm ponds, stock dams and dikes. These negative impacts are minimized through population regulation.