Leave it to beaver

As my time in McDowell Forest Preserve begins to come to a close, I look back and realize I’ve seen many wonderful things. But until recently, I hadn’t seen a beaver. I’d seen their work: the gnawed on or gnawed down trees. I’d see the attempts to prevent that work: fencing around the bottoms of young trees. I’d seen what I thought were their dens, but I’d never seen an occupant.