Elk stopped hanging out in open valleys and gorges where they were easy targets.
Because elk weren't overgrazing those specific areas, willow and cottonwood trees began to shoot up. In some spots, trees quintupled in height in just a few years. Essentials of Ecology
The most mind-blowing part? The regenerating trees stabilized the riverbanks, causing the rivers to meander less and the channels to narrow. Elk stopped hanging out in open valleys and
With more trees came more birds and, crucially, beavers . Beavers built dams, which created habitats for otters, muskrats, ducks, and fish. beavers . Beavers built dams
