Beavers are moving into Arctic habitats, and are radically changing the environment – the results of which can even be seen from space!

The Western Science Center, as part of its Broader Impacts initiative, is partnering with University of Alaska, Fairbanks ecologist Dr. Ken Tape and his team to launch a new temporary exhibit, Changing Channels: The Arctic Expansion of Beavers.

This exhibit will showcase Dr. Tape’s years of research into the way beavers have taken over the Alaskan tundra, dramatically impacting the landscape, ecosystems, and the arctic climate itself. Dr. Tape and his team founded the Arctic Beaver Observation Network (A-BON), a collaborative group of scientists, indigenous community leaders, and environmental professionals; this exhibit is the culmination of that group’s efforts to monitor beaver colonization in the Arctic.