The Penobscot Indian Nation Department of Natural Resources (PIN DNR) plans to conduct two major
bridge improvements on the Birch Stream Road. These bridges will be replaced with larger, structures to
improve fish passage and capacity to handle high flow events in the face of climate change. Though such
construction projects are frequent in the region, the aquatic community response to bridge improvements
on beaver driven ecosystems has not been well studied. Understanding how beaver populations and
densities are interacting and responding to changing infrastructure will help us to better manage beaver
populations. This project will also document environmental, and population effects of changes to aquatic
connectivity in a beaver dominated landscape