FRIENDS WITH BEAVERS

heidi08 Who's saving beavers now? April 25, 2018

In addition to folks going out of their way to save beavers, they are also hiring people to do it the right way! Ben Goldfarb posted these photos of him and Mike Callahan working together to install a culvert protection fence (beaver deceiver) on Tuesday. You’ll not it is not the customary trapezoidal shape because of the site demands. I’m especially happy that Ben and Mike like working together because apparently when this author gig is all over Ben is thinking he’ll become the flow device expert in Connecticut, where he plans to settle.

Author and soon to be beaver installer Ben Goldfarb

.Mike was busy helping friends this week. Art Wolinsky in New Ham[shire also posted this time lapse video of his installation of culvert protection on Monday at Art’s Sherwood Glen’s condiminum as well.

It’s so fun to see it all come together!

More videos posted this morning, this from the West Hampton Trail Cam that we’ve been watching.

Westhampton Trail Cam: Beavers, then deer (video)

The article says the tussle is likely courtship. I relly don’t think so, considering we filmed mating and wrestling both. When ever we filmed this behavior it was with two yearlings wrestling to see who was stronger. Like on this lovely morning nine years ago.

DEFENDING THEIR RIGHT TO BEAVERS EVERYWHERE

heidi08 Who's saving beavers now? April 24, 2018

There seems to be an epidemic of saving beavers – which makes it the best epidemic ever. Last night I was contacted again by about the Briar Chapel beavers, and this morning efforts are being made to save beavers in Wisconsin. There’s an update at the link that I can’t embed but is worth watching.

Village of Mukwonago plans to relocate beavers to prevent flooding

MUKWONAGO, Wis. (CBS 58) — The Village of Mukwonago plans to move a colony of beavers so they can remove a dam that is causing flooding in surrounding areas. Water from the creek has been spilling into the wetlands and moving towards storm water ponds near W Wolf Run and Maple Run.

“When flood water enters in the storm water ponds and it forces the water out over the top due to flooding. Then, you will have contaminated water entering into the Mukwonago and Fox River system,” said John Weidl, village administrator.

The village estimates there are about six beavers in the dam and la t week the village approved a solution to get rid of them. The options were to relocate or lethally remove them. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recommended lethal removal for the health of the animals themselves.

Snicker. Ya gotta love that. You better kill them right away or they might get sick or go hungry!

“We do not recommend relocation for any wild animal. Generally, if you relocate an animal you’re moving them to an area they are not accustomed to and they have a higher chance of dying in that area,” said Dianne Robinson, wildlife biologist.

But in the last few days, about a dozen of people throughout southeastern Wisconsin have offered their private land to move the beavers to.

“We understand the challenges and we’ve talked to the DNR and we understand their concerns. At this point, we feel like the best options for us are to relocate these animals,” said Weidl.

This week, the village’s department of public works will be working to find a trapper and meet with those who offered their land to see if it’s a suitable for the beavers. Weidl said the village will continue to work with the DNR so they can come to a solution that’s good for everyone as well as the animals.

So we have some nice private landowners that want beavers, and maybe we can find someone in Wisconsin who knows how to live trap them. Considering the possibilities this is sounding pretty ideal. I wrote the administrator this morning saying I’m glad he’s responding humanely but a more long-term solution is to install a flow device, and gave him the contact info for Amy Chadwick, Mike Callahan and Skip Lisle.

Let’s see if he gets curious. In the meantime it’s a madhouse of beaver rescue out there. If I were the mayor or city administrator I’d stay FAR AWAY from the issue right now.

People are demanding their right to beavers!

BEAVER REPRIEVER IN BRIAR CHAPEL

heidi08 Who's saving beavers now? April 23, 2018

Good news on all fronts! We ended with exactly enough children to fill the 148 squares on our banners, and enough people complained about the beavers in Briar Chapel that it looks like they’ll be safe for a while longer. As I always say about saving beavers, “when the people lead the leaders will follow“, And this time it turns out to be true. I admit that a delay of execution isn’t the same as a pardon, but it’s giving their defenders time to get together and further strategize about the next step. And what I’m hearing is that they’re using that time wisely.

Beavers catch a break. Chatham County neighborhood delays their removal.

On Friday, the property manager of the Briar Chapel neighborhood announced it will not move forward with a plan to trap about 35 beavers that have built several dams along Pokeberry Creek in the northern Chatham County community. Two days earlier, the community association board had voted to eradicate the beavers.

Garretson Browne, president of the Briar Chapel Community Association board of directors, additional conversations with U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services officials had occurred since the vote to remove the rodents. Together, the neigh borhood and Wildlife Services decided to explore other options with the beavers, he said.

The association sent a statement to homeowners on Friday. It read:

The Briar Chapel Board of Directors acted in good faith and based on expert consultation from the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, to manage the growing impact of beaver damage and flooding in our community. The board has investigated this issue over the past several months, and came to its conclusion only after significant due diligence was done on the options. The board would prefer other alternatives to manage this challenge, but they were presented with only one viable solution based on the significance of the situation. With that said, and understanding that no one, including the board, wants to see any wildlife harmed, we have communicated with the US Department of Agriculture and have discussed having additional consultation before any work is done.

This is my favorite part;

Stacey Donelan, another Briar Chapel resident, said many homeowners want to make sure the beavers are not killed. “Briar Chapel’s residents will keep up the pressure and protests until the BCCA BOD unquestionably confirm that killing the beaver population is irrevocably off the table,” Donelan said in an email.

Hurray for Stacey and her many friends! And hurray for people everywhere who stand up for beavers! It’s wonderful to be reminded of how we started on this auspicious occasion of a national magazine publishing so casually that “some cities have decided that beavers make good neighbors.” I love how it doesn’t even mention how hard we had to work or how many protests it took to force our city council to do the right thing.

“But now, some people are working to make sure beavers can live happily in their communities.”

Yes they are, Ranger Rick, in Martinez and in Briar Chapel too.

I thought you’d want to see the finished park banners the children created at Earth Day. Here are all six sides. Aren’t they lovely. Tell me again why people pay for artwork?

JOHN MUIR BIRTHDAY-EARTHDAY GAVE US SO MUCH

heidi08 Beavers April 22, 2018

Earth day at John Muir was – well you know how it was. Busy and inspiring and exhausting and delightful and sunny and springy and filled with children’s art. When I’m done processing Cheryl’s great photos I’ll share more, but for now, think how wonderful these banners are going to look.

BE THE BEAVER CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE

heidi08 Who's saving beavers now? April 21, 2018

Yesterday was a buzzing day at Beaver Central. Five separate individuals wrote me from North Carolina asking me how to save the beavers in Briar Chapel HOA. I gave them the best advice I could and contacted the HOA and the media but I got the distinct impression that they had the idea we would come in and save the beavers FOR them. One woman even told me in our conversation “I’ve written the Martinez Beavers and am waiting to hear from them”.

I AM the Martinez beavers!!! I exclaimed. Saving beavers is like saving a marriage – you can’t send the work out to be done for you. Believe me when I tell you that we’ve learned that only ONE thing saves beavers from being trapped. It’s not science and it’s not compassion and it’s not the rules – It’s regular people on the ground who care making a fuss about it. No outside agency is going to sweep in and change this.

If you want it changed YOU have to be the one to change it!

Which, as it happens, is a great way to face Earth Day. Be the change you want to see. The county isn’t going to protect your beavers, Scott Pruitt isn’t going to protect your drinking water and your president isn’t going to protect anything. It’s up to you. So get to work.