Beaver 'starter homes' are being placed in US streams to help solve a pressing problem

Conservation groups and government agencies are increasing their use of ‘starter homes’ made of wood and brush to encourage the creatures to move in and expand upon the initial structures - (Getty Images)

Beavers are being recruited across the western United States as a weapon against drought, with conservation groups and government agencies building wooden structures to lure them into key watersheds.

The push comes as climate change and overuse leave the U.S. West drier, and experts say the animals' dams can make ecosystems more resilient.