By now readers must all know that Washington State has the smartest beaver policy in the country, and the best beaver minds hard at work. Beaver wisdom trickles down the coast and seeps inland at a snails pace. But the snail is getting faster. Here are some headlines from this morning’s news:
Leave it to beavers
NEHALEM — Anyone living near a pond, a culvert or other local bodies of water knows that gnawed trees and dammed creeks are sure signs that the elusive beaver has been busily at work. Come and learn more about these busy, misunderstood mammals Friday, March 23, at 7 p.m., in the Riverbend Room at the North County Recreation District at 36155 Ninth St.
Beavers in the park
For years, the Corvallis Parks & Recreation Department has been locked in a standoff with beavers, whose dam-building activities in Dunawi Creek periodically swamp the softball fields at Sunset Park.Now, in an effort to solve the problem without harming the industrious rodents, the department is getting ready to try a little engineering of its own.
Toothy engineers essential to ecosystem
Despite damage to trees, beavers are essential to a healthy ecosystem, Holschuh said. The work they do improves water quality, stabilizes banks and prevents erosion, and increases habitat for the benefit of other species. “Beavers knock down trees. Even if they’re not building beaver ponds, what they’re doing to the habitat benefits a lot of other animals: shore and water birds, amphibians, turtles, fish.
I would say the influence of beaver wisdom is moving at a faster pace East than South… now we see Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and Utah showing some pretty amazing beaver knowledge. Complexity appears to be sinking in at the Klamath region of our northern-most California tip, but there must be some impermeable bedrock starting at about Lake County because it never ever trickles down to us! Apparently even New Mexico is doing its fair share! So maybe California will eventually pick up beaver wisdom from both ends?
Oh and its officially spring now, so bring on the baby beavers!
