Beavers and bobcats populate a 210-acre 'secret garden' in Las Vegas

A wetlands preserve on the edge of the Las Vegas Valley proves that natural restoration is possible even in the harshest desert environments, reports Natasha Majewski in Nevada Current.

"The Park’s 210-acre Nature Preserve houses miles of pathways for hiking, biking, and birdwatching. On any given day you might come across one or more of the over 300 species of birds and 70 species of mammals that live here, including coyotes, bobcats, and yes, even beavers." The Clark County Wetlands Park is the result of a three-decade effort to restore the natural wetlands that, hundreds of years ago, spanned the Las Vegas Valley. The return of beavers in particular signals a healthy ecosystem. "Once established, beavers — and the Beaver Dam Analogs that mimic their work — can help the land support more greenery, hold onto more water, and limit the spread of wildfire and the devastation of floods."

According to Majewski, "For experts involved in riverscape restoration, the wetlands’ geography represents what could be for other riparian — or water-adjacent — habitats of the greater Colorado River Watershed in Southern Nevada."