The resilience of nature has been on full display in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, after a dam removal resulted in fish returning to historic habitats.
According to PennEnvironment, the Woodland Dam had been obstructing fish since 1928, leading to a reduction in biodiversity above the dam.
But removing this obstacle brought nearly instant results. Just two months later, spotfin shiners and rainbow darters were seen half a mile upstream of the former dam site. A little further on, smallmouth bass joined the group.
After a little over a year, nine new species were seen upstream, which was more than double the range of species seen in the area while the dam was present.
In addition to boosting the aquatic ecosystem, the increased presence of fish species will help with water purification and nutrient cycling.
Little Sewickley Creek, where Woodland Dam was located, already had a "High Quality" designation from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The return of fish to historic areas of the river will help ensure this status remains.
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It's not the only dam removal project to achieve notable success. At the California-Oregon border, the largest dam removal project in United States history quickly saw the return of wild salmon to the Klamath River. Meanwhile, in Derbyshire, England, Atlantic salmon returned to the River Derwent after Snake Lane Weir was removed.
Other habitat restoration initiatives have heralded fantastic results in welcoming back wildlife. For example, work to improve the landscape in Massachusetts led to the frosted elfin, a rare butterfly species, expanding its range. Conservation efforts in Kent, England, saw chough birds breed for the first time in the region for 200 years.
It just goes to show that it's not always too late to undo the damage caused by human activity. But in order to sustain vital ecosystems, which are essential for the good health of the planet, a little bit more human intervention is needed — this time to break down the structures that upset the natural balance in the first place.
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