[4][5][6] New York State had been making efforts to restore the North American beaver population in the Adirondacks, which had nearly been extirpated due to overtrapping.

[7] Al made a request in 1935 to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to release a pair of beavers on Littlesprite creek near the Richards' cottage, which was approved.

[7] Initially waylaid by business concerns, Dorothy later became fascinated by the pair, whom she named Samson and Delilah ("Lilah").

"[13] The Richards began purchasing adjacent land to establish a nature sanctuary, initially using borrowed funds.

She wanted more extensive first-hand experience, so in 1943 she asked the Department of Environmental Conservation for permission to keep beavers in her home.

[16] The Richards dug a 5 by 10 feet (1.5 by 3.0 m) beaver pool in their basement, fed by the nearby stream, which would be enlarged later on.

CBS aired a documentary on Beaversprite in 1972 and Dorothy later appeared on NBC's Real People and in the National Wildlife Federation's Ranger Rick magazine.

[23] In 1966, Dorothy donated her home and 735 acres of land to the Florence Waring Erdman Trust, a Philadelphia-based sponsor of wildlife sanctuaries.

[27] Her will also left $1 million "for the creation of wildlife sanctuaries in memory of her mother, Florence Jones Reineman, where hunting, trapping and fishing would be prohibited.

[7][30] The achievements and dedication of Richards are part of the celebration of International Beaver Day on her birthday, April 7th.