The much-maligned beaver has a hero in Langley Heritage Society member Ted Lightfoot. To celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, and the place of Castor canadensis in our history, Ted towed a trailer emblazoned with “Beep For Beaver” Appreciation Tour across the country. Inside was a diorama-like display featuring a trio of sculpted beavers, a Hudson’s Bay Company fur bundle, a gnawed stump and a photo of a beaver pond situated on his property near the headwaters of West Creek. (This pond was originally a man-made detention pond until the beavers started their makeover.) A wooden canoe lashed to the trailer reminded people of its essential role in the fur trade and of aboriginal peoples’ innovation. The beaver is described as a “keystone species”, creating wetland habitat for other animals like fish, birds and otters. Considered a nuisance by some because of their habit of damming creeks and destroying trees, there are [...]