And the Beaver Goes On…

heidi08 Beaver News, Beavers elsewhere, Environmental March 22, 2009

Remember the book I mentioned called “Three Against the Wildnerness” by Eric Collier? Hopefully some beaver fans got curious enough to pick up a used copy and read for themselves. Well, beaver friend from New Zealand, WHG sent me these photos from Chilcoten (about 100 km from the site in the book) taken by his aunt. Looks like beaver progeny are doing well in Canada.

Lovely dam isn’t it?

Also got a very reassuring email from a beaver friend in Danville Ca that some beavers had “graced them with their presence” in the Danville San Ramon Creek for a while, although they hadn’t been seen lately. Graced them! Danville clearly knows a good thing when they see it.

Space Bat Captures Hearts & Minds

heidi08 Creative Solutions, Environmental March 21, 2009

Beaver Beaver friend GTK wrote this week about the sad story of a freetail bat with a broken wing making the incredibly bad decision to rest on the space shuttle before its launch. NASA reported uncolorfully that it had “Likely perished during the shuttles climb into orbit”.

Blogger John Herrman at Gizmodo offered a much more fitting description:

Bereft of his ability to fly and with nowhere to go, a courageous bat climbed aboard our Discovery with stars in his weak little eyes. The launch commenced, and Spacebat trembled as his frail mammalian body was gently pushed skyward. For the last time, he felt the primal joy of flight; for the first, the indescribable feeling of ascending toward his dream—a place far away from piercing screeches and crowded caves, stretching forever into fathomless blackness.

Whether he was consumed in the exhaust flames or frozen solid in the stratosphere is of no concern. We know that Spacebat died, but his dream will live on in all of us.

Now if you don’t think the story of a space bound bat has captured the fancies of America, check out the web traffic. There are literally hundreds of movies about this on Youtube. Here is a prime contender from RavenCK:

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ibq2IwznCgc]

Come Saturday Morning…

heidi08 City Reports, Educational March 20, 2009

Not sure what to do after that last cup of coffee? You might want to join your fellow Martinez-ites for a town hall meeting with Congressman Miller. He’ll be at city hall from 9:30 to 10:30. He’s coming to talk about the economy and stabilization measures. I have said before that his last town hall meeting was the most uplifting political event I ever attended until November 7, 2007, so its probably worth the trek.

I posted this back in May of last year when I met an aide of his at the farmer’s market.

Now for my day’s best news. In the midst of talking and explaining about the beavers we met a nice mom with a magical little daughter who explained that she was an aide for Congressman Miller. Not only was she a huge beaver fan, so were her co-workers, and they had watched the videos in the office. I can’t tell you how delighted that makes this particular beaver advocate. I respect the congressman enormously, am consistently impressed with his position on the issues, and up until November 7, 2007 his town hall meeting at Martinez City Hall was the most uplifting political event I’d ever attended. Now he’s got stiff competition. Always in the back of my mind, I wondered whether he might be interested in the beavers who’d settled into the creek in his home town.

It turns out our beavers have friends in some very high places.

9:30 is not so very much later than the beavers go to bed, and I thought maybe the congressman might enjoy seeing something up a creek that wasn’t the economy, so I dropped his aide a note and suggested a guided tour. She actually thought he might be interested and asked him! Breath was held, would the entire economy benefit from the “beaver bump? Sadly it turns out government work is fairly taxing right now and his schedule couldn’t accommodate a beaver visit. Next time, congressman!

(I told her the beavers were big fans and would miss him.)

Anyway, there will be a hot bed of activity tomorrow. First Miller to talk about our economic woes, and at the same time a city council “retreat” where they will make plans for the next two years and say admiring things to each other. Rumor is a redevelopment agency will be top on their list. Apparently the mayor wants the concept to be “shovel ready” for whenever the economy improves.

If the council is “shovel-ready” with an RDA, I dare say there’s a host of Martinez residents who are “Pitchfork-ready” in response. A no-retreat, retreat I guess.

Please to See the Queen

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, Educational, Environmental, In the News March 19, 2009

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,—
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.

William Shakespeare, King Richard II. Act ii. Sc. 1.

Guess whose been feeling left out of the beaver benefit bagatelle? No sibling is happy when their brother gets something they don’t. Apparently the English are looking anxiously over their shoulders at the plaid reintroduction in Scotland and thinking, “why shouldn’t we have beavers too?” Why indeed. A just released study by Natural England addressed this very question, and last night its findings were released on national news.

From the BBC

Beavers could be successfully reintroduced in many parts of England, a conservation body has argued. Natural England says a study has shown beavers, already set for reintroduction in Scotland, could boost wildlife and reduce flooding, among other benefits.

The creatures have already been successfully reintroduced in parts of Europe and the feasibility study for Natural England, which advises the government on conservation issues, and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species said reintroduction could be possible in many parts of England.

Professor John Gurnell, one of the report’s authors, said beavers acted as “ecosystem engineers” and could provide many benefits. They sometimes build dams to stabilise the water levels around their burrows and channels for foraging, which can slow rivers and control flooding, purify water and increase the number of plant and animal species in the habitat.

The entire 119 page report is downloadable here. It has amazing references, including a list of all the beaver reintroductions done in europe over the last 100 years. I’m still enjoying it slowly, but here’s a lovely introduction:

Why reintroduce beavers?^₁

1.8. Why reintroduce beavers to Britain? The reasons put forward include (e.g. see Macdonald & Tattersall 1999, Coles 2006):

Beavers are part of Britain’s native fauna;
Beavers have been lost entirely by the activity of humans;
As a member of the European Community, Britain has a responsibility to carry out studies on the desirability of reintroducing species that have become extinct (Beavers are listed on Annex III of the Bern Convention, and on Annexes II and IV of the EC `Habitats and Species’ Directive in 1992. The Directive aspires to achieve a favourable conservation status of the priority habitats and species listed in its annexes.);
Beavers are a keystone species they are frequently called ecosystem engineers and act as „natural managers of riparian, wetland and forest ecosystems;
Beavers are inherently interesting to humans and could be a flagship species for raising awareness about nature conservation
Beavers fulfil philosophical and aesthetic ideals associated with returning native species to the wild.

The highlight is mine, but that has sure proven true for lots of us. The entire study is a fantastic scholarly treatise to argue against beaver-nay-sayers. I’m a little troubled by the BBC farm representative who argues that any beaver introduction plan “has to have an exit strategy”.

Exit strategy?!? It’s not like you’re invading another country and trying to establish a democratic government, for goodness sake. You’re inviting back a guest to your home that you previously annihilated. Do you think you forgot how to kill beavers in the interim? Or do you think that public opinion has changed so that your old weapons will no longer be acceptable? I have an exit strategy for you. It’s called education. Learn about the benefit that beavers bring, learn how to deal with any problems they cause, and learn how the land is changed without them. Then your old ideas and fears can “exit” quietly.

(Exeunt Pursued by a Bear. My favorite Shakespeare stage direction. Oh that’s right, you have no bears left in England either)

The report concludes its time to move forward to Phase II of beaver reintroduction:

What next?

12.10. The way seems clear to move to a second phase of consultation and actions concerning beaver reintroductions to England, focusing on education of the wider public about beavers, investigating specific candidate sites for releasing beavers, drawing up detailed management plans and costings, and, if agreed by all interested parties, releasing beavers within the umbrella of pilot studies.

I’m ready for phase two. The entire report is thrilling read and I can’t wait to get back to it. Thanks beaver friend MG in the UK for sending it my way.

Oh and beaver spotting last night: Dad and two kits. I think I’ve figured out their devious scheme to repair the primary dam. “Don’t repair it” They are letting the secondary dam raise the water level until the primary dam stops leaking and doesn’t matter anymore. Brilliant. The Hay Fairy came too, and brought potential bedding for all, thank you very much!

¹The Feasibility and Acceptability of Reintroducing European Beaver in England: Natural England, March 17, 2009

Creek Seekers Express!

heidi08 Creek Seekers Poetry Contest, Environmental, Friends of Martinez Beavers March 18, 2009

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn more about our estuary, see rare original footage of our beavers, support local habitats and make some fantastic new friends! Join us!