Month: January 2016

Napatopia history makes the NYT

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers, Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout, Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, Environmental, History, Who's saving beavers now? January 26, 2016

In the Napa Valley, future landscapes are viewed in the past.

“The project also created new ecological niches. No one knew there were once beavers on the river, for instance. But researchers at the institute found an entry in a fur trapper’s journal from 1833: “Found a few beaver,” it said, an assertion corroborated by references from historical studies.

So the rodents have been allowed to re-establish their dams, including one within view of downtown Napa. The dams will slow erosion and create deep pools, offering a nursery for young fish — some of them threatened — and helping rebuild the river.

Ahem. Cough. Er… you mean those historical studies done by US??? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Robin gets to sell the book AND be in the NYTimes and Napatopia gets to keep its beavers, but hey. An oblique reference to our hard work is plenty.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m plenty happy about this article. Besides, Napa restoration was 20 years hard work in the making, with partners from every part of the aisle and grueling weekly meetings that must have taken watershed saints to attend. So Napa deserves its thunder. Go enjoy the whole article.

And we have our own little victories to celebrate. I heard yesterday from Heyday books which is publishing Beth Pratt’s California collection and is going to include a section on our Martinez beavers. They want permission to use a fine photo of FRO working with two children to paint that wonderful giant beaver!

And I heard from illustrator Alex Perlin that she would happily donate to the auction, which obviously makes me very, very happy indeed.

Illustration of the campfire classic: Land of the Silver Birch.

It wasn’t me, I swear!

heidi08 Beaver Art, Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers and climate change, Beavers and water, Educational, Environmental, Who's saving beavers now? January 25, 2016

Tragedy has struck a nice Canadian neighborhood. I’m sure the Mounties are interviewing the usual suspects. I anticpate a phone call any minute.

Beaver bench stolen from central Edmonton neighbourhood

All that’s left of the Holdsworths’ prized beaver bench, that just last week sat proudly in front of their Inglewood home, is splinters and drag marks. You could say the evidence proving foul play is “dam-ing.”

“I think that somebody obviously saw it,” said owner Sue Holdsworth. “They scoped it out, saw how hard it was to remove and came prepared with tools, a truck, and chain and probably yanked it out.”

The Holdsworths commissioned the beaver bench from artist Joe Renaud in 2007.

Holdsworth says they wanted a bench because her mother-in-law would come from England and couldn’t walk very far around the neighbourhood without having to sit down. This prompted her husband to commission the bench.

“He really did it just in the interest of making the neighbourhood more walkable,” said Holdsworth, “and for him it was really boring just to have a bench, so he called for a piece of public art.”

Sad times are these when passing hooligans can steal a beaver bench at will! What were the neighbors doing anyway? And why didn’t they notice a truck hauling away a beaver bench with a chain? Hmm. Maybe they paid him or her to do it. It’s not the loveliest likeness I’ve ever seen. I mean it’s not THIS, for instance.

More clues that this beaver campaign is catching on. Here’s a letter from someone named Penelope M. Blair from Moab Utah. The best part is that I don’t recognize her name or know anything about her. I love when we find friends we never knew we had!

Beaver believer

Regarding Avery McGaha’s wetland article (“A desert oasis, lost and found,” HCN, 12/21/15): Instead of cattails, the cienega should have native willows and cottonwoods. Instead of messing around with logs and dams of his own making, A.T. Cole should import some beavers. The beavers belong in that ecosystem and would do a much better job of restoring it. They can even take an arroyo, with intermittent water, and make dams with mud and stones and bring it back to a healthy system. If Mr. Cole would use the help of beavers instead of trying to be a human beaver, he wouldn’t have to worry about floods; the beavers would prevent those. The areas where beavers are allowed to do their thing are amazing. Yeah, beavers!

Penelope M. Blair
Moab, Utah

A sister from another mister! My long lost twin! Nicely done, Penny. I think Penelope must be friends with someone we know. Last I heard one Mary Obrien lived in Moab Utah, so maybe they have coffee together every Tuesday morning. It doesn’t matter. She’s obviously family, and I’m thrilled she said what needed to be said!

No new products today, as no one decided to be generous yesterday, although there were many candidates. One thing that we CAN celebrate is that Robin of Napa agreed to do the bid sheets again for the auction, and that is a truly wonderful thing. She did a stellar job last year, and you have no idea how strangely it affects you brain to write things like this over and over!

Adorable handmade ceramic beaver ornament. Decorate with style while showing your support for beavers. You may need more than one!

Thanks Robin!

Sometimes the prophet IS accepted in his own country.

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers, Beavers and climate change, Beavers and water, Who's saving beavers now? January 24, 2016

Luke 4:24 (KJV) And he said , Verily I say unto you , No prophet is accepted in his own country.

Unless that country is the Methow valley and the prophet is Kent Woodruff. After a mere 9 years his good work is finally making local headlines.

Beavers may be part of answer to climate change

Can a rodent species native to the Methow Valley help solve problems created by climate change? Absolutely, according to a local biologist who leads the Methow Beaver Project.

Beavers, the animal kingdom’s version of the Army Corps of Engineers, build dams that store water in mountain streams. And that could help mitigate the impacts of diminishing winter snowpacks and warmer temperatures that are anticipated as a result of climate change, said Kent Woodruff.

The Methow Beaver Project, now in its ninth year, relocates beavers to tributaries in the upper reaches of the Methow watershed. The goal is to restore beavers to their historical habitat and allow them to do what comes naturally — build dams and create ponds that store water both above and below ground.

Water held in those storage basins is released gradually throughout the warm months when it is needed for fish, wildlife and irrigation. That slow release has the added benefit of keeping water in tributaries cooler, which enhances habitat for fish and other creatures, said Woodruff, a biologist with the U.S. Forest Service.

Climate change models predict dramatically lower snowpacks in the future. As humans consider ways to adapt to the changes resulting from a warming climate, beavers have some lessons to offer, according to Woodruff.

“One of the things I’m excited about is the Beaver Project provides an example and inspiration for climate adaptation,” he said.

Hurray for Methow! And Kent Woodruff of the USFS! He has been doing God’s beaver work with a broader cast of supporters than I ever thought possible. I had no idea the project was only as old as Martinez. When I went to the first beaver conference ages ago I thought they all were the wise old elders, and I was the upstart. One of their many interns was presenting their work at the time, and his equipment wasn’t working, so I loaned him mine. That’s how I got this special thank you, which is among one of my favorite treasures.

Go read the whole article and smile knowingly at how equivocating the head line is, Beavers MAY be PART of the answer? Could they possibly demonstrate less belief in your subject matter? Never mind, you were eventually forced against your will to write about the essential work being done in your own front yard, and maybe you’ve learned something. Congratulations!

More good news yesterday from beaver legends. I heard from Dietland Muller-Swarze that he will donate two copies of he seminal and important work for the silent auction. Thank you!

We were in contact years ago and he said he was impressed to see what Martinez had done, but after he retired I worried I might lose contact forever. I just know his books will be a big hit at the auction!

And another chapter of monumental good news comes from the SF based legendary artist Jeremy Fish.

To celebrate 100 years of San Francisco City Hall, the San Francisco Arts Commission has commissioned 100 drawings by internationally renowned local artist Jeremy Fish. To prepare for the exhibition, titled O Glorious City, Jeremy Fish will be the first ever Artist in Residence at San Francisco City Hall!

Jeremy is one of those very rare artists who make an enviously successful living at his craft. Here’s the work that prompted me to boldly write. It’s titled fittingly titled, “The Belly of the Beaver“. I wrote that I couldn’t decide whether the image was ‘joyful or haunting’ but I couldn’t stop looking at it. Apparently that was exactly the right thing to say because a signed limited print, is coming our way. Yesterday he wrote back saying that he would be only too happy to donate and maybe come to the festival with his wife and support our beavers in person! I can’t help wondering how he and FRO might get along and what they could dream up with the help of 100 other eager child artists?

Thankful for the little things!

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers January 23, 2016

Buttons! Buttons! Buttons!

For the past 6 months I’ve been limping along with a wordpress that suddenly stopped doing everything It reliably did. And I’ve had to use html code commands to access even the simplest functions. (Which I’m sure is fine if you have that kind of brain, but not if you’re ME, with this kind of brain.) I can never tell where the <marks go and which way the / is facing. I’m soooooooooooo happy not to look like this anymore.

My new dashboard does even MORE things than my old one! Complete with drop down menus and acres of choices – including emoticons! I can’t wait to try them all out! There’s even the hugely dangerous “Insert read more tag” which is a button I can only caution you from ever pushing.

The one thing I lost and have to try and replace is the “Like button” for facebook. Hmm I will hunt around for the right fix. In the meantime, let’s just admire the view!

Two wonderful surprises yesterday in my begging excavations. One was the generous response from Summer ties who said they love beavers and would be happy to send a couple of these my way. (I can’t tell you wistfully admiring Ian Timothy was to see such a bowtie of beavers! When I mentioned they donated to the auction he thought maybe this was the year he’d have to come to the festival!)

The second find is even rarer. It’s the usual historic image of a beaver who’s implausibly bitten off his own testicles to discourage the hunter, but look at his FACE. This must be the very rare puma beaver! I’m thinking that we spend a lot of time praising the naturalists of the 1800’s for admiring and understanding wildlife – but you’d think an artist of any worth could tell the difference between a mountain lion and a beaver?

A noble attempt – And a funny surprise for the educated.

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers, pictures January 22, 2016

WKBT channel 8 in LaCrosse Wisconsin wants you to appreciate the Myrick Park marsh trail in winter. Click on the image to go see how much. If you stay all the way through there’s a cheerful surprise at the end. If it doesn’t make you laugh out loud, think of it as a quiz.

The Marsh in Winter

Did you see it? No telling. Shh. Crazy that you’re allowed to trap 50 feet from the tail there, better be careful if you’re taking your dog for a walk. I knew there was a reason we lived in California. But do you think every time we see the ‘wildlife viewing area’ sign it means wildlife trapping area too?

I had fun begging for beaver necklaces yesterday and got two immediate positive responses. I’m gun shy about using Etsy so I’m saving it for later. (If you’ll remember they suspended my account last year because I was too effective.) Aren’t these lovely?

First, from Esther at “Winterchild jewelry” this lovely image which can be on necklaces or earrings.

She writes about the beaver:
Beavers are animals I have a lot of respect for. I admire their remarkable work ethic, their ability to actually construct dams and lodges and especially their tightly knit family unit. I’m sure you’ll agree that the seconds between catching sight of a beaver and hearing the sharp slap of its tail on the water is truly delightful!

Thanks Esther Winter for your generosity and talent! Follow the links to see her other fine work.

Next it’s a pewter beaver birth totem from Laura Johnston at Le animale.

Carry le industrious beaver with you and build your dreams into a reality.

Of course everyone knows that beaver make dreams come true, so that seems very sound advice! Go check out her many spirit animals here and thank you Laura for your generosity!

Let me know if you see anything covetous out there and I’ll do my best to add it to the auction!