Month: February 2014

Beavers and Water Management

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental February 23, 2014

Take the time to watch this very nice report about why it might be a good idea to reintroduce beavers in England and benefit from their water management skills. It’s well worth your click.

Obviously beavers have a significant role to play in water management and when the state of California declared drought in 2014 I thought someone should mention this fact. I wrote a letter to the Secretary of Natural Resources, John Laird about the topic. He happened to grow up in Benicia so I thought he might be familiar with the Martinez Beaver story. When I came home from the hospital there was a letter waiting for me from Dr. Eric Loft of the Wildlife Branch of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who was asked to respond to my letter.

Attached is an pdf letter response to your letter to the Secretary. You might keep in touch with our Fisheries program staff who are evaluating the utility of beaver

That’s nearly my favorite paragraph. I love that we’ve been ‘heard of’ and made a ripple on the surface of the hard waters of Fish and Wildlife. I’m very happy to think that anybody in Sacramento was forced to sit at their computer and write about beavers for half an hour. And that anyone thought about the issue at all.

Oh yes it will! And it’s sold OUT. So you can expect 50 of these letters next quarter. The Scott River watershed is the place where Fish and Wildlife actually installed a flow device, and you know it is the first part of California that will get beaver smart. I’m glad that he knows to mention this. He goes on to say that beavers are also icky.

Why can’t you require folks try solutions before they kill beavers? And why can’t the state provide an incentive of some kind for living with beavers on your land? How about an environmental tax credit? He goes on to say I exaggerate how many beavers are killed because they only issue a few hundred depredation permits a year. I pointed out that those permits are per incident – not per beaver, so a single permit could take out as many as 10 beavers, or who ever lives in the family. Which adds up to thousands – not hundreds.

Do you think I will follow up and remain part of the discussion? Go ahead, guess. It’s very nice to have a response and contacts for the future, but they are going to need 100 letters like mine to take this seriously. Let’s all do what we can!

Today’s lovely donation to the silent auction comes from Primrose Prints In Norwich, UK. The funny thing is that Jon’s best friend in all the world lives in Norwich, and we are very familiar with the town. They donated a 1935 photograph of two beavers in the stream and generally offer only vintage original prints. Here is one from Grey Owl’s text. Thanks so much Primrose Prints!

1935 Vintage Grey Owl Print – Ojibwe Native American Indian Tribe – Conservation Work – Tribal Decor – Beaver Dam – Vintage Beaver Print

Mr. Settell to the rescue

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, Friends of Martinez Beavers February 22, 2014

A few years ago I read an article about Mike Settell getting a grant from Audubon to do a local beaver count – because beavers have such an impact on bird life. I immediately tracked him down and invited him to the beaver conference where we were able to get him a presentation time so he could talk about his work. Last year Mike installed his first pond leveler’s using Mike Callahan’s DVDs. Now there’s a great article about his work.

Pond leveler: Ecologically friendly device seeks to control flooding, protect beaver habitat

About 10 feet onto the creek, he pulls some frozen brush and snow away to reveal that he is standing on top of a large beaver dam. Further examination of the area shows a large pipe protruding off the top of the dam, with a steady flow of clear, cold water spilling out downstream. He then points towards the top of a wire cage bulging above the snow that is covering the pond, like the top of a sunken ship poking through the Arctic ice shelf.

“The Pond Leveler allows the water from the pond to easily flow past the dam and lower the pond level while maintaining some water in the pond,” he explains. “The cage prevents beavers from plugging the pipe and blocking the water flow completely. If a beaver has a stick in his mouth, he’s not going to pass through the cage and plug the pipe.”

According to Settell, flooding roads is among the main reasons beavers are trapped or killed in a stream.

“What myself and others are demonstrating are ways to keep the benefits of beavers without having to kill the beavers,” says Settell, pointing to the healthy willow stand. “We’ve also found that these devices are very cost-effective to reduce localized flooding.”

Hurray for Mike! Taking on Idaho with his bare hands! It’s getting to the point that we have at least one beaver advocate in every state, and many more in some. Can the tipping place be far behind?

“The solution in the old days would be just to destroy the dams and get rid of the entire colony of beavers,” he says, pointing towards the expanse of Rapid Creek. “FEMA has already designated this area a flood zone, so beaver or no beaver, an area like this will flood. It’s just a question of when. What we are trying to do is to retain the beaver pond’s ability to create enhanced habitat and reduce the effects of peak flooding.”

Oh you mean like we did in Martinez 6+ years ago? Yep, our flow device has been doing its job since 2008, and doesn’t show any signs of giving up. Our beavers have been doing a bit of work on both dams and you should go check them out if you can. It’s good to see flow devices going into other creeks!

This morning’s donation comes from Eagle Optics which is a supply side haven for wildlife lovers everywhere. They offer a life time warranty and the best prices on everything they sell. I first learned about them when I was involved with the group watching the San Francisco Peregrines on the PGE building. I asked a trusted biologist about buying Jon a spotting scope for his birthday, and she pointed me straight to what I needed at Eagle. For the festival Eagle Optics graciously donated a 8×25 monocular which is a great way to augment your bird and wildlife watching. It requires less visual control than binoculars so is great for kids and is so small you can slip it into your pocket easily when lugging binoculars isn’t an option. Thanks Eagle Optics for your support! I know your donation will be appreciated.

How’s THIS for a headline?

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Environmental February 21, 2014

Experts say: Make way for BEAVERS

“The neighborhood meeting helped answer many of the questions about the possible benefits of the beaver dam. We also learned that their appetite for trees might not be limited to just those along the creek bank, and we may need to put up fencing to protect them from these night-time chewers. In the meantime, the ducks certainly like the expanded water areas, which makes things more scenic,” said Steven and Marsha Morasch.

Alice Szanto has lived in the area for 20 years, and her grandparents lived there before she did. None of them had ever seen the creek rise like it did in November. When she found out about the beaver dam, like the other neighbors, she was worried about trees falling and damage to the hillsides.

At the meeting she learned that “the beaver might chew a substantial amount of trees, but the county can keep planting them, and there are ways to protect the trees we want to keep. We have a living National Geographic series in our backyards. I consider myself lucky,” Szanto said.

Linda Burgard said it was helpful to have someone from the ODFW at the meeting to answer questions, and, like the other neighbors, was worried about trees disappearing. But now that she knows how to protect trees on her property, she feels more positive about the beaver dam.

“The pond in the backyard is great now. We have more ducks, and yesterday our beloved heron returned. The grandkids also love all the new wildlife,” she said.

There are now two smaller beaver dams at the same site, and he said that “the new beaver dams will improve salmon, bird, amphibian and mammal habitat. The dams will retain mud and sediment in the pond, slow down the waters and infiltrate more water into the ground. This will benefit the creek and residents downstream.”

Look who’s giving Washington State a run for its money! How wonderful to read this smart work on Kellogg Creek! The closer one gets to Portland historically the greater the beaver IQ drop – but not now. To have ODFW on hand with pro-beaver education takes my breath away. Of course I wrote Susan Barnes right away! My email tells me she has been cc’d in some contact I had with the area in the past.

The beaver dam is certainly a positive for the watershed, said Mike Pinker, who lives in the neighborhood.

“Beavers provide good environmental services. They help cool the water temperature and create habitat for other animals. A beaver community on Kellogg Creek is the sign of a healthy watershed; beavers are our partners, and they are able to do a much better job than we can,” he said.

You really should go read the whole thing. I love everything about this story. It might be the best news I’ve read in Oregon – certainly in a while.

One more bit of scary good news – the beaver-steelhead workshop I’ll be presenting at in Santa Barbara next month is SOLD OUT. In fact it’s the only one that is!

Yesterday’s donation came all the way from Lithuania and will be cause for a definite bidding war. Giedre Karramba of Karramba Design donated a lovely pair of beaver sterling silver stud earrings and a matching necklace that will delight everyone who is lucky enough to see them. I am still trying to wrap my mind around someone donating from such a long way away. But you should definitely plan to bid on these. They are even cuter in person.

February is Dispersal Month

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers elsewhere, Dispersal February 20, 2014

Why does no one in the media seem to comprehend the fact that this month we are more likely to see beavers crossing the street, occupying new ditches and hiding in swimming pools? It’s the time when nearly 2 year old beavers head out to seek their fortune, looking for their own territory to settle in. It’s the most dangerous time of a beavers life because he might be without all the things that normally protect him: his colony and his pond. Dietland Muller-Swarze tells us that females actually go farther than males, but ever able beaver must go on their own to seek their fortune. It’s a scary world out there, but sometimes people are merciful. Here are a few lost beaver stories from today’s news.

Lost beaver discovered under car in Cliffsend

A CLIFFSEND resident awoke to a surprise this morning when she discovered a beaver hiding underneath her car.

RSPCA Thanet centre manager Clive Martin was on hand to load the lost animal into a dog crate and transport it to safety.

The beaver may well have taken a wander from Ham Fen nature reserve near Sandwich, where a colony of European beavers live in a specially maintained environment.

Mary Knott, from animal charity Cats in Crisis, said: “I had a call this morning from a lady in Cliffsend who normally calls us regarding injured birds or hedgehogs.

“Imagine my disbelief when she said there was a beaver under her car!

Castor Fiber under a car in Kent! Maybe you’re looking for something more local?

Why did the beaver cross the road?

BANDON — A Bandon couple has a local police officer to thank after a potentially unfortunate event involving an angry beaver was narrowly averted Saturday evening.

Kimberly Jonas, owner of the Book Nook in the Continuum Center in Old Town, was headed home with her husband Lee about 6:30 p.m. after closing shop.

Near the Ferry Creek bridge just east of Face Rock Creamery on U.S. Highway 101, Jonas noticed a large adult beaver in the highway, trying to cross.

It was dark, raining hard with strong winds and low visibility and Jonas was concerned that the beaver, which was apparently trying to get to the creek on the south side of the highway, would get hit by a car.

It is the state animal, after all.

Kimberly called 911 who dispatched a police officer. The officer initially refused to stop traffic and said the beaver would be fine. Kimberly was persistent and he eventually relented, helping the beaver back to the pond.

Officer Tony Byrd arrived on scene but couldn’t be convinced to stop highway traffic to allow the beaver to cross. The beaver would be fine, he said, and didn’t require human assistance.

“I tried to convince him that the beaver needed to get to the creek,” Jonas said. “I told him it was the state animal and that yesterday was the state’s birthday. And I reminded him of images everyone’s seen of police officers leading ducklings across busy intersections.”

It was his opportunity to be a hero.

Finally, Byrd agreed and he and Lee Jonas used branches to shoo the animal — all approximately 50 pounds of it — across the highway while Byrd waved a flashlight to warn motorists.

The beaver slapped its tail loudly on the pavement as it scurried across, then quickly disappeared into Ferry Creek.

The entire incident took about 45 minutes, Jonas said. After which, she burst into tears.

“I just couldn’t leave the beaver there, I just knew it would try to cross the highway again and I was about to form a human chain and get some flares to help it to the creek,” she said.

Kimberly may just be my favorite human EVER! Go Kimberly! Shhh let’s not tell her that the beaver was probably trying to leave that creek and just crawled out again somewhere else. Maybe it was at least farther from the free way.

More good news? I was contacted by the Executive Director of the Blue Heron Nature Preserve in Atlanta Georgia yesterday who happened to have beavers on their wetlands and wanted help presenting good reasons to keep and protect them! We agreed that Georgia was a hard place to be a beaver. Nancy Jones is the founder of the preserve and interested in applying for grant monies to keep beavers on the land. I gave her all the resources I could and put her in touch with beaver friend BK from Georgia so they could work together.

Later in the day I got an email from a beaver advocate in North Dakota who was interested in help educating ranchers about having beavers on their land. I put him in touch with the ‘beaver solution’ film from the Lands Council and made sure he had what he needed. All in all a busy national day for this beaver advocate.

Today’s donation comes from Cathy S. of Yesware in Alberta Canada! Her fun images grace pins and charm bracelets. She was happy to donate and let me chose items from her shop. I had to select this set – out of nine images I only spot one nutria, can you? Thanks Cathy for your support!

Best. Headline. Ever.

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers elsewhere, Beavers or Social Ambasadors, Creative Solutions, Educational, featured February 19, 2014

Senators seek plan to help bring back the beavers and protect wetlands

Wildlife biologists contend beavers could be the most low-tech, inexpensive answer that drought-plagued New Mexico has for storing up precious water and rescuing dwindling wetlands— but some of the animals are still killed every year by people who consider them nuisances.

The state Senate is considering a memorial sponsored by Sens. Tim Keller, D-Albuquerque, and Bobby Gonzales, D-Taos, asking several agencies to develop a statewide beaver-management plan to rein in conflicts between property owners and unwanted animals and to support populations where beavers are needed. Senate Memorial 4 passed the Senate Rules Committee Thursday and is scheduled to be heard next in the Conservation Committee.

Senators promoting beavers! Be still my heart! A state-wide beaver management plan to address both unwanted beavers and needed beaver populations. That sounds as much like music to my ears as any Mahler symphony. The beaver offers a real solution to the dried soils of climate change, but it’s always the last place people are willing to look for answers. Can we try pumping? Can we try seeding? Can we try buying water from another state? No? You mean we really have to try those icky beavers?

Yes. Yes, you do.

“I’d like to see New Mexico craft an intentional beaver-management plan like Utah has,” said Bryan Bird, Wild Places Program director for the Santa Fe-based nonprofit WildEarth Guardians. “It would be a solution to a lot of problems. Right now, there’s no logic to how we manage beavers.”

Beaver dams hold back streams and create ponds. Those ponds store water, create wetlands, recharge aquifers, support wildlife habitat and slow down floods, reducing erosion, wildlife biologists say. About 82 percent of the state’s streams on public land could support beavers, according to a recent wetlands habitat study Bird coordinated, which was funded by the New Mexico Environment Department.

Folks are started to get interested in the relationship between the water-savers and our rapidly dwindling water. I never heard my KGO interview on the topic but my uncle did, so I know it’s out there. I’ll be talking on Fur-Bearer Defender radio about the relationship today. It’s a happening time to be a beaver advocate, and I’m just trying to keep up.

Without beavers, the ponds that helped store up water on many stream systems dwindled, according to another recent study on the ecological benefits of beaver dams, conducted by New Mexico State University researchers. The study found only 40 active beaver dams on streams on public lands in the state in 2013, according to Jennifer Frey, an associate professor and one of the study’s authors. She said beaver were “functionally extinct” in the state because “they are so sparsely distributed that they are not able to perform the vital ecosystem services that would improve the health of our streams.”

I’m so excited this is even being DISCUSSED at the policy level in New Mexico. What’s wrong with California? There is even a comment about hyporheic exchange, which makes me feel a little faint. March on New Mexico and bring us to a new way to think about beavers. Since the Taos trading route did a massive amount of damage to the population, you owe it to them!

A cheerful donation arrived yesterday from our friends at Vancouver Bamboo. Liana donated two bolts of organic animal print fleece with beaver, moose, eagle and wolf silhouettes. Vancouver Bamboo, and it’s sister company, Kinderel, are a Greater Vancouver based companies specializing in organic fabrics and babywear. The company was launched in 2008 on the belief that parents should have the opportunity to raise their babies without products stuffed with dangerous chemicals.

I just know someone’s grandma is going to make them the coolest hoody or sleep set! Thanks Liana for your generosity and support. I’m so happy that you were willing to donate your unique fabric for beavers.