Before the time of the white man’s penetration into North America, pre-1600, beaver-directed ecosystem dominated the landscape in the drainage, just as the arboreal climax forest dominated the ridges.
Through out North America, nearly every creek and stream was dammed up and had beaver ponds. One European source of the mid-1600’s reported a beaver dam existed every 200’ on every creek and slough east of the Mississippi. Only the largest rivers, which had either too broad of banks or strong flows were not dammed.
The characteristic ponds and the resultant marshes, wetlands and meadows were directed by the water level and flows. But, due to Beaver diligence in maintenance, it was the ‘ecological default’. Directly adjacent, where there were slopes and ridges, the climax woodlands would dominate. The change zone between the beaver site and the forest could be sharp in many locations but in others they were diffused. The volume of marsh/meadow created and the margin with the forest eco-system was manipulated by the beaver and the topography.
There is not much analysis data available. However trading records and business reports to trading company headquarters in Europe are trustworthy. French reports in the 1670’s indicate 200,000 – 500,000 beaver pelts a year were exported to Europe from Quebec. One letter to French authorities in the mid 1700’s (during the French and Indiana wars) indicated 30,000 ‘bundles’ of beaver pelts were shipped yearly from Ke’keonga (Fort Wayne, Indiana pre-1750). “That’s a whole lot of rat skins.”
A major motivation for white man penetration into the continent and alliances with Native American nations was to take beaver. Fur trapping was the major cash business in 17th century North America (far exceeding tobacco, cotton and potash) and was the prime purpose for exploration of North America.
