Month: June 2014

Diversity and Biodiversity

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, City Reports, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, Festival, Friends of Martinez Beavers June 5, 2014

A couple of folks have drawn my attention to the upcoming 10th annual beaver pageant in Durham North Carolina this weekend. It’s organized by the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association with tongue firmly in cheek.

The purpose of the spectacle is to raise awareness of our community’s waterways and pockets of nature, and to raise money to help protect and restore these precious resources for all to enjoy. The Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association (ECWA) is grateful for the support it has received from the Pageant over the years.

The Beaver Queen Pageant is one of Durham’s marquee events and is rich in the history and culture of the community. Started in 2005 by members of the Duke Park neighborhood in order to protect beavers from a potentially harmful road construction project; it has grown into a large scale event that attracts hundreds of people from all over the Triangle who are interested in protecting wetlands and want to give a helping hand to beavers. It is a free, family-friendly beaver ‘beauty pageant’ that is a creative outlet for both the contestants and the audience.

I just adore their slogan. “Peace. Love. Beaver.”

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A newly released paper published in the journal Ecology of fresh water Fish has been causing a bit of a stir because it says beaver dams promote non-native species of fish, especially in dry areas.

Beaver dams shift desert fish assemblages toward dominance by non-native species (Verde River, Arizona, USA)

Overall, this study provides the first evidence that, relative to unimpounded lotic habitat, beaver ponds in arid and semi-arid rivers support abundant non-native fishes; these ponds could thus serve as important non-native source areas and negatively impact co-occurring native fish populations

I was very alarmed by this report and sent out a ‘bat-signal’ alert to beaver experts around the globe who might be able to argue with it. I got these comments back from Michael Pollock, who gave me permission to re-post them here.

This sounds like a certain person’s master’s thesis. This poor graduate student was sent out to sample beaver dams in remote regions of Arizona and didn’t really have time to come up with a good study design. There were all kinds of sampling, methodological and logistical problems with their approach and they really didn’t end up with much in the way of data that was very analyzable.

There are a lot of exotics throughout the system and little to suggest that beaver dams are responsible for that problem. Beaver have been part of natural stream and riparian ecosystem in that region for a long time and the native species have adapted, and potentially benefited from their presence. To conclude that beaver dams “could” negatively impact native fish populations is misleading. It would be just as reasonable to conclude that beaver dams “could” positively impact native fish populations, since that is what we see everywhere else, but that the timing and very low frequency of data sampling didn’t occur during the times of year that native fish might use beaver ponds.

The reality is that this was a poorly designed study that produced little in the way of meaningful results, but perhaps will guide future research efforts. Pretty typical for many Master’s thesis in natural resource fields-a good learning experience, but not a lot of useful information applicable to management.

Michael M. Pollock, Ph.D.

Ecosystems Analyst

NOAA-Northwest Fisheries Science Center

FE Division, Watershed Program

I believe the words “So” and “There” are in order.

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A stunning report out from Medicine Hat Alberta this morning which you will have to read to believe. I couldn’t possibly find the words to describe it.

Beaver activity has resident calling for action

Beavers are active in Riverside taking down mature trees that beautify the landscape and at a least one resident feels the City should be taking some action.

Guess what action? If you (like me) assumed that the proposed action involved trapping or shot guns, you’d be wrong. If you assumed it involved bringing in hand-wringing experts who looked at the situation and studied the issue, and THEN advised you to kill them you’d be wrong. If you thought maybe it meant moving the beavers to another location you’d STILL BE WRONG. Read the remarkable action for yourself.

“Wrapping the base of most of the trees in a wire mesh would at least help to mitigate the damage,” said Lorine Marshall. “I would like to see some wildlife management.”

Wrapping trees with wire mesh and cleaning up flood debris has already taken place in Kiwanis Park.

While most would rather the beavers leave established trees alone there are ways to re-direct their interest and/or encourage them to choose willows growing closer to the water which are quickly replaced with new growth, said Corlaine Gardner chief park interpreter for Police Point Park Interpretive Centre.

She says there has been a recommendation that painting the base of trees with a paint and sand mixture is a deterrent because beavers dislike the grit in their teeth.

Gardner says beavers can also be a great protection in managing the flow of water naturally.

Medicine Hat is in Alberta, Canada: about 5 hours away from Glynnis Hood and 13 hours away from Fur-Bearer Defenders. I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine how they got this smart about beavers, but I have a vague recollection of reading that city’s name before. However it happened, we’re impressed. As in free tee-shirt, name a kit after you impressed. Worth A Dam honors the remarkable beaver management skills of Medicine Hat.

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Finally, here’s a fun new problem to have. We just bought a new couch and had a consult to make sure it would fit through the old victorian doorway. The designer peered through with her tape measure and then asked quizically, “I just have to ask. What’s with all the beaver photos?” Which we dutifully explained. After the deal was made she went joyfully back to the showroom and everyone was thrilled to be selling a couch to the ‘beaver people from the news’.

So I thought, maybe I should ask if they would be willing to give retired fabric samples to us for tails?

Ethan Allen thought that was a lovely idea and gave us big beautiful squares of several different kinds of amazing leather. Now I’m wondering if these aren’t too nice for tails. Maybe they need to be stuffed beavers, or beaver bracelets, or beaver pins. Maybe you have some ideas? And just maybe you or your relative is a retired seamstress or craftsman and would love to donate some help to Worth A Dam?

Let’s talk. Oh and there’s a new “”Like” button on the website. Feel free to use it. A lot.

Showtime!

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers elsewhere, City Reports, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, featured, Festival June 4, 2014

THE BEAVER BELIEVERS | a documentary

The urgency of climate change provides an unexpected opportunity for new partnerships and creative solutions in watershed restoration.

This inspiring yet whimsical film captures the vision, energy, and dedication of a handful of activists who share a passion for restoring the North American Beaver (Castor Canadensis) to much of its former habitat and range. Although this goal might seem esoteric or eccentric, The Beaver Believers shows us how this humble creature can not only help us restore streams and watersheds damaged by decades of neglect, beaver can also show us how to live more harmoniously with nature in an era of destabilizing climate change.

When beaver come into a watershed, they transform the stream system to meet their own needs for food and security. In so doing, their dams and ponds also create the conditions necessary for many other species to thrive. It’s a kind of generosity that is born of self-interest yet results in flourishing for all. What better metaphor to take to heart as we face the challenges that climate change brings?

In the end, our film is about much more than beaver and the people who believe in them, it’s about a new way of understanding our watersheds and our role in nature. By “thinking like a beaver,” we can create more bountiful ecosystems and more plentiful water resources, while also providing for our own needs and enriching our human communities at the same time. Beavers can show us the way and do much of the work for us if we can just find the humility to trust in the restorative powers of nature and our own ability to play a positive role in it.

Say hello to the launch of the new documentary ‘the beaver believers”. If it all looks vaguely familiar it should since they were filming last year at the beaver festival. They’ve been hard at work interviewing the other players and now are ready for film. Won’t you send them a little support to get post-production moving along? It couldn’t be easier and they have some adorable thank you gifts. I got the DVD of bloopers and out-takes because THAT’S what I really want to see! (Suzanne Fouty stepping in a cow-pie, or Sherri Tippie swearing like a sailor! hahaha) Go choose your own and show the world you’re a ‘beaver believer’.

Did you notice Cassy and our own Beaverettes in the promo? You better go watch it again. Go check out their slick website to see how it all fits together. I can’t put my finger on it, but this girl looks kinda familiar.

“He started it!”

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, City Reports, Who's Killing Beavers Now? June 3, 2014

Beaver to Blame for Easthampton Flood

Easthampton, Mass. (WGGB)- There is a flood in one Easthampton yard, and the city says wildlife is to blame. It’s the result of a clogged culvert that flows under South Street.

“I haven’t dared go over there,” sams homeowner Dan Laflamme as he points to his backyard.

Laflamme has lived in his Crescent Street home for almost 30 years. The city says that beavers are the cause of problem because they keep blocking the culvert with debris. Now special permission is needed to clean it up;approval from the Conservation Commission that the City Engineer, Jim Gracia says they received this morning.The city says that beavers are the cause of problem because they keep blocking the culvert with debris. Now special permission is needed to clean it up;approval from the Conservation Commission that the City Engineer, Jim Gracia says they received this morning.After returning from Florida a few days ago, he came home to more than half of his property under water.

“There’s about 3 acres,” Says Laflamme. “And how much do you think is underwater now?” asks ABC40′s Brittany Decker. “About 2 acres,” he responds.

The city says that beavers are the cause of problem because they keep blocking the culvert with debris. Now special permission is needed to clean it up; approval from the Conservation Commission that the City Engineer, Jim Gracia says they received this morning.

Today I finally realized that when cities, highway authorities or cable companies say “Beavers are to Blame”, they aren’t looking for an excuse to kill the animals because they hate them. The beavers are entirely incidental and don’t actually matter at all.

What they are really saying is “It’s not our fault!”

It finally dawned on me when I realized that the incident involving Mr. Laflamme’s floating property is about three miles from Beaver Solutions. That’s right, Martinez could bring in an expert 3000 miles to solve a problem and Easthampton couldn’t manage three.

The misguided mayor of Easthampton is Karen Cadieux and Mike Callahan says she has his business card. She needs the proper motivation to solve this particular problem. You just know the special permission they just got from the Conservation Commission was not in fact to conserve anything, but was to trap – Either shelling out $$$ for some live trapping (which under MA law will still result in dead beavers) or going to the health department for an exemption to use some conibears to kill them faster and cheaper.

I’m thinking Ms. Cadieux needs a few emails to point her in the right direction. Won’t you help me set her straight by politely reminding her that her neighbor could solve this problem for the long term and save Easthampton money?

mayor@easthampton.org

Remember it’s June which means dead adult beavers will leave young kits behind.

The Beaver Battle in Irving

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, pictures, Who's Killing Beavers Now? June 2, 2014

Last Thursday I posted about my conversation with Kat and Rhonda about the beaver situation in Irving Texas. They were protective about their ‘source’ who alerted them to the action and wanted to make sure I would protect her as well. They might not have bothered because Bonnie Bradshaw decided to talk to the media herself.

In Irving, a fallen tree ignites a fight over beaver banishment

Around the same time, Irving was advertising next year’s trapping contract. The only bidders were Moore and Bonnie Bradshaw — a leader in the movement against wildlife relocation.

Citing research showing higher death rates among transplanted beavers, Bradshaw pitched the city on her plan to scrap the traps and instead coat trees in beaver- repellent paint. Parks officials weren’t interested. They already protect their trees, and needed a way to deal with resident complaints and potential cave-ins caused by beaver caverns.

So Bradshaw took her pitch to the public, sending out a dire news release that warned of Irving’s “plan to secretly trap beavers.”

“I could care less about getting the contract,” Bradshaw said. “I just don’t want the beavers trapped.”

City officials say the new contract — presumed to go to Moore — would merely continue their policy of no-kill, as-needed beaver control. But Bradshaw, quoting from the document, painted it as “a year-long contract to trap ‘as many beavers as possible’ from ‘any wetland area’ within the city limits.” (The contract actually says potential trap sites “will include any type of wet land areas.”)

“Please shine a spotlight on something that the city is trying to hide under the cover of darkness,” she wrote, highlighting a requirement that trappers work in off-hours and avoid public contact.

Word of the contract spread through wildlife circles in North Texas and beyond. An ecologist with the Humane Society of the United States emailed the city from Connecticut, warning that more beavers would simply replace the trapped ones.

Last week, Bradshaw and a few others went to City Hall to promote an online petition against the policy. Nearly 900 have signed.

Soon, news cameras were in Northwest Park and city officials were answering calls from worried beaver lovers.

“They’re being misinformed,” said Joe Moses, assistant director of Irving’s parks department. “They’re under the impression we’re going out in the middle of the night trying to rid the city of beavers.”

Bonnie has been working to teach the use of flow devices in Texas. Now that is bringing the message that relocation isn’t the honeymoon it sounds like right to the people! If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad… It’s about time someone talked about the risks of relocation. Especially if you are dumping one or two at a time into an area that already has lots of dumped beavers!

Moore and Bradshaw are big names in North Texas wildlife management. And big rivals.

Bradshaw contracts with the Johnson Space Center and Dallas, which she says has moved from traps to educating residents since it hired her. Moore, in contrast, roams the region catching gators, snakes and worse. A few years ago, he helped Irving plan a massive roundup of feral hogs.

“His livelihood depends on promoting the myth that relocating is better for the animals,” Bradshaw said. “That’s not scientifically based.”

She pointed to studies that found beavers had trouble surviving after being moved. Researchers in Wyoming tracked more than 100 and found that every juvenile either died or wandered away from its new home.

Moore questioned Bradshaw’s motives. “She’s trying to spank the city of Irving because they didn’t hire her,” he said.

Shh, here’s my favorite part…

He asked what kind of life a beaver could have surrounded by traffic, concrete and homeowners who tend to shoot nuisance wildlife, not report it.

Funny question that. I know about 36,000 people who can tell you that the city of Martinez beavers are enormously happy. Seven years happy to be exact. Well let’s hope Irving keeps the argument going long enough to force a discussion and a new beaver management policy. Certainly Mr. Moore’s generous offer to move beavers piecemeal into a beaver ghetto where they will never find family members and die of competition needs to be exposed to a little more sunlight. I would say Irving is well on their way.

Mean while, our own Cheryl Reynolds has been diligently waiting with camera poised for the arrival of kits with no luck yet. Our beavers have been humerous good sports though and afforded her the opportunity for delightful snapshots this weekend. One came when an old plank floated up on the primary dam at high tide.

walking the plank — Walking the Plank – Photo Cheryl Reynolds

Arrgh! Who knew beavers were pirates? The other fantastic moment came when beavers emerged near the secondary dam through the water so thick with fish there were actually fish flipping around on ther back and head when she surfaced! The many hazards of a beaver’s life!

fisheye close — The old Fisheye – Cheryl Reynolds

I guess we shouldn’t be impatient. Reviewing the history I see that kits weren’t photographed until June 10th last year or July 1st the year before that. Good things will come to those who wait.

Beaver goodness in New York

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Educational, kits June 1, 2014

Let’s finish our weekend with this compassionate soul in New York. A concerned resident implored the city council for protection.

New Paltz asked to put up ‘beaver crossing’ sign on South Ohioville Road

Town Board members are being asked for a sign on South Ohioville Road warning drivers to watch out for beavers. The request was made during a Town Board meeting last week, when resident Thomas Gallo said the large rodents are crossing the highway to go between swamp areas.

“There’s a beaver family that lives somewhere over there,” he said.

“By my house there is an underground water drain that goes under the road through my property and across the Thruway,” Gallo said. “There’s a den 50 feet from the road right next to the underground pipe.

“They grow up, they come to my den, they cross the road to see the water, and they get hit by a car.”

You are a good man Thomas. I share your worry that beavers are so low to the ground only the most cautious driver will miss them. I remember in my childhood there was a passing thought that if children’s bicycles had weren’t so low not as many children would be hit by cars. For a while we all had tall flags on our bike to make them more visible, which I’ve often thought could help beavers by being installed on their tails. I’m not sure how we could attach them. Or how beavers would enter the lodge with them, but it’s a thought.

In the meantime I’ve saved the town of New Paltz the time and trouble and made them a sign. Feel free to borrow or share.

More gentle beaver news from the empire state. This from professor and author Susan Fox Rogers. Seems she was out kayaking on the Hudson River the other day, and was greeted by this heart-breaking visitor.

She knew enough to think he was lost, and none to happy about his dislocation. She spied a nearby lodge across the way and coaxed him into following the boat so she could bring him there.

I guessed it was lost. Across the channel rested a stick pile, a beaver lodge. I moved my boat to the middle of the channel thinking the little beaver might swim to me once again and this would get it closer to home. It did. And I had the foresight to turn on the video in my pocket camera. And sure enough, after it rounded the stern of my boat, the baby beaver swam off toward the lodge.

She’s a nice writer, and if you want to go read the entire piece check her blog out here. In the meantime lets hope that adorable baby was old enough to dive home or smart enough to smell his family inside the lodge and stay put until they woke up!

Everybody gets kits before us. No arrivals last night either, but a high tide and all the family members coming down from the primary dam. So maybe the kits were up there, which is puzzling to say the least. Those whacky beavers! Always keeping you guessing.

The certificate for Hornblower arrived yesterday, and I realized it will be good in 5 locations. If you’ve never celebrated a special occasion or brought a visiting relative to brunch under the golden gate, you really should do so soon. Better yet, bid on our certificate and save yourself some money while supporting beavers!