On Sunday, September 30, the Springwater Trails hiking group walked the FLT from Ontario Park to W Hollow Rd. As recalled by Pam, the most outstanding part of the Bristol Branch trail was the huge beaver pond towards Rt. 33 coming down from the park. The entire pond was made by the beavers damming up the creek. They had their lodge in the middle. It was beautiful, and it was nice that at this time it wasn’t pouring. Pam and Gene stopped to identify several mushrooms along the trail.
When beaver dams negatively impact an area, it may be necessary to drain the pond. Check out the link http://naturalhighs.net/waterfalls/falls07/BeaverDamDrain.htm to see how it was done in an area of the Finger Lakes Land Trust.
After seeing the beaver dam and lodge on the Bristol Branch of the Finger Lakes Trail I read a little about Beavers from Dr. Leonard Lee Rue III book Beavers. I was amazed that with the exception of man, no creature has been known to alter it’s environment as much as the Beaver. They can transform a trickle of water into a pond or lake, and eventually change a forest to an open area. They are members of the rodent family which is the largest order of mammals in the world. Beavers have 5 senses, most developed is smell and they are nocturnal. Beavers are most active in the fall, preparing for winter by strengthening their lodge and storing their winter food supply. Gene Binder also indicated that WXXI had a show on animal builders a couple of weeks ago. This area on the Bristol Branch demonstrates a beaver dam, development of a pond, and the beaver lodge.
In addition if you hike down the west side of Hemlock Lake on the shoreline, about 1/2 way you will come upon an above
water beaver lodge on a tributary coming into the lake in what was a marshlike setting, now totally dry. There is evidence of beaver cuttings along the shoreline and an additional beaver lodge out further into the water. You can observe the beaver lodge upclose, see it’s exit and entrance holes and really marvel at it’s construction. submitted by: Pam Masterson, Vice President, Springwater Trails