Forest Structure Change in Beaver Wetlands at Cloquet Forestry Center: An Exploration in Central Foraging Theory in a Novel Hydrologic Context
North American beavers have a pattern of selecting preferred trees for consumption and dam building. This behavior is complemented by beaver movement patterns as a prey animal, namely their preference for food and materials which are close to a point of safety such as their lodge. As named in past literature, the forest composition of riparian environments has been directly impacted by ‘Central Place Foraging Theory’, and has been demonstrated in lacustrine environments in Minnesota. The aim of this study is to examine a riparian environment in northern Minnesota and document the changes in forest composition over time. A combination of field work, drone imagery, and satellite remote sensing were used to determine the land type change in beaver wetlands at Cloquet Forestry Center (CFC), as well as what species were establishing underneath beaver-chewed trees. ArcGIS Pro was used to create land classifications, check their validity, and generate raster files showing changes from 2015 to 2025. We found that there was a shift from wet forests to wetland, with wetland expansion creating tree death that was visible via remote sensing. The pattern of conifers replacing preferred species was not observed in the remote imagery or the limited field work, as was seen in studies of lake environments. This could indicate unseen factors at play in environmental suitability for tree species, or topographical differences between rivers and lakes which affect beaver decision-making.