The beaver release was made possible through the work of tribal leaders beginning 10 years ago, building on research supporting beavers’ role in supporting ecological health, tribal and environmental advocacy, and Governor Gavin Newsom’s pursuit of nature-based solutions. In 2022, CDFW launched its Beaver Restoration Program with funding from the state, which supported the Tribe in their efforts to ready the reservation for the beavers. 

“I’m very happy to see [the beavers] come home and it’s going to be wonderful to watch them do their thing,” said Kenneth McDarment, a Tule River Tribe member and past tribal councilman. “People will be educated even more by seeing the work that they do and the benefits they bring to the environment. My hope is to have the beaver throughout the reservation and all the watershed that we have.”