Month: November 2019

E.P.I.C. CHANGES PROPOSED IN BEAVER DEPREDATION

It begins with an ask.

If you want to have something new you have to start by requesting the change. Even if they’re sure to be turned down. Even if they’re pie-in-the-sky and way more than you can achieve. You have to start by making it clear what you want. Even if its just to yourself, so that you have something to push against as you move forward.

Consider this the ask.

EPIC Petitions for Better Beaver Regulations: Proposed Rules Would Clarify Rules for Trapping

EPIC filed a rulemaking petition with the California Fish and Game Commission to ensure greater protections for beavers and to clarify existing legal rules concerning their trapping. Together on the petition were the Center for Biological Diversity, the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, and the Northcoast Environmental Center

The proposed regulations would impact the 700+ beavers killed each year because of conflict with the human environment, and would require individuals to exhaust non-lethal methods to deter or diminish conflict before a permit could be issued that would allow their lethal removal. It further codifies federal law prohibiting the removal of beavers if that removal would harm a species protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Consider this the shot across the bow. Don’t kill beavers until you’ve tried not to kill them first. And don’t kill beavers when endangered species like salmon and red-legged frogs and least bell’s vireo rely on them for habitat. Actually the rule change text is gentler than the article makes it sound. The landowner just has to show they tried one non-lethal means. Like wrapping trees. Many depredation permits already include this info. But I assume it’s not required.

This is a “proposed rule change” which has to go up before the fish and game committee to be considered and you can already imagine the resounding NO votes it will receive. But it’s an ask. And it is filled with really epic, important things. Like this:

Beavers are Biologically Important to California

The North American beaver (Castor canadensis)is native to California. Accordingly, the flora and fauna of the state have co-evolved with the beaver, developing unique and complexinterwoven relationships.Beavers, however, are currently missing from much of their historic range and the effects of their absence are felt by the species that co-evolved with beavers. Beaver create freshwater habitats used by a variety of wildlife, including fish, birds, and other mammals. Their dams filter stream water, improve water quality, raise the water table, increase water storage, and repair eroded riparian areas. In particular, beavers have a significant beneficial relationship to many species currently listed as threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act and/or the federal Endangered Species Act, such as coho salmon. The proposed amendments to the regulations recognize the unique ecological importance of beavers and take steps towards promoting our co-existence with beavers by prohibiting the commercial trapping of beavers,and by requiring that non-lethal or less-lethal measures have been taken to avoid and minimize conflicts with humans.

For reasons I am not privy Worth A Dam was not asked to be a cosponsor of this proposed rule change OR asked for any information obtained from the last five years of review of depredation permits, ahem. or asked for information about how other states regulate beaver trapping. Still, the somewhat glaring omission doesn’t negate that this is an important ask. An ask that’s a big deal

The total impact of beavers to the hydrologic characteristics of streams is difficult to overestimate. Beaver dams increase in-stream storage capacity, which in turn has been shown to result in greater summer flows, even going so far as to result in continual flow in previously seasonal streams. Impoundment of water also has been shown to stabilize water temperatures.Beaver dams slow stream flow resulting in increased sedimentation, thereby raising incised channels to the point where streams are reconnected to their historic floodplain

We are very happy for the mention of hydrology and water impoundment. California cares about drought. But I would argue this doesn’t go far enough. What about groundwater and the sinking aquifers in much of California? What about fire prevention? What about saturation of soils that prevents the wildfires that destroyed Paradise?

Well, as far as shots across the bow go, this one is pretty dam good. We’re EAGER to see what muffled excuses CDFW offers in response. You know it will be something pretty effusive and super concerned with landowner interests. I just wish the application had included more about how GOOD it is for landowners to have beavers on their property. Keeping water on their land and making sure their well doesn’t run dry while preventing fires.

And Cinderella of course wishes she’d been invited to the party, sniff, but I’m very interested in seeing what happens next.

BEAVER FRIENDS IN SWAN VALLEY

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beaver ecological impact November 24, 2019

I first made acquaintance with Ben Goldfarb and Rob Rich about the same time in late 2016 so in my mind they are kind of linked; like eco-wisdom salt and pepper shakers. They were both writing then for the High Country News, and had both contacted me through the website to indicate their appreciation of the constant beaver writing. I remember it startled me at the time because I frequently like to reassure myself with the notion that nobody really reads this website, or sees the many typos, malapropriations and word mishaps.

Ben, as you know, left HCN in order to write a EAGER, and Rob left and took a position as a Conservation and Education associate with Swan Valley Connections in Montana where he maintains his beaver-forward thinking and has kept in touch.

Now he is thrilled that Swan Valley actually has some nesting swans for the first time in many years and he has continued to share the beaver Gospel in Montana. He was excited to note that his co-worker was able to help him make this excellent film which I believe we are all going to enjoy. I’m especially excited that it taught me a new word. See if you can spot what it was.

Plus there is a fun outtakes section at the end of the film which will make you smile. Enjoy!

Swan Valley Almanac Episode 6: Beavers from Swan Valley Connections on Vimeo.

WILD ABOUT EDUCATING CHILDREN AT BEAVER PONDS

heidi08 Beaver ponds, Educational November 23, 2019

You’ll be happy to know that our domain name is registered for another year, thanks to Georgette’s husband who many many years ago registered Martinez Beavers and birthed us a website. Thanks Bruce!

And you’ll also be happy to know that the pamphlet on urban beavers is just about done and edited and ready for press. You can peruse it here if you’re so inclined. Which means its time to buckle down on the gran=t application which is why I’m so delighted that “Wild About Utah” aired this story yesterday.

So many good quotes to choose from!

This Is Why I Teach Outside on ‘Wild About Utah’

In February of this year, researchers published an integrative review of the literature on nature’s role as a catalyst for academic growth in children. They had this to say about their findings: “In academic contexts, nature-based instruction outperforms traditional instruction. The evidence here is particularly strong…” (Kuo, Barnes, and Jordan, 2019).

According to the researchers’ report, “learning in and around nature is associated with intrinsic motivation, which, unlike extrinsic motivation, is crucial for student engagement and longevity of interest in learning” (Kuo et al., 2019). Even more “[e]ncouragingly, learning in nature may improve motivation most in those students who are least motivated in traditional classrooms” (Kuo et al., 2019).

I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with students in the field. While out there, I’ve had that instinctual knowledge we all share reaffirmed while sitting next to a dammed-up beaver pond, watching third-graders reverse engineer the beaver dam out of rocks, sticks, silly putty, and freshly-chewed wood chips from a beaver log.

What’s that? Children learn to understand what they experience? And children learn more about nature when they’re outside in nature? No kidding! And a beaver pond features prominently in your education? What a coincidence! Ours too!

CONNECTICUT WORRIES ABOUT ITS BEAVERS

heidi08 Who's Killing Beavers Now? November 22, 2019

Quick! To the beaver mobile! Connecticut needs our help!

Hikers Concerned About Beaver Trapping on Larkin State Park Trail

Four beavers were captured off of the Larkin State Park Trail after the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recently issued a trapping permit to address flooding concerns in the Oxford area.

“We purposely walk that way just to see them,” said Carrie Bartomeli, who walks the trail weekly with her husband and two dogs and enjoys the beavers.

She said she was devastated when she heard the DEEP issued out a permit to trap the beavers that have made the area their home.

Why is it that it takes nice shocked people on the ground to get experts to do the right thing? I don’t know but eyeballs are sure important when it comes to stopping beaver trapping.

In a statement Monday, the DEEP said in part, “ongoing flooding by beaver activity along the Larkin Bridle State Park Trail made a particular section of the trail impassable to hikers, bikers, equestrians and park and emergency vehicles, which created a potentially dangerous situation to the public.”

A DEEP spokesperson could not confirm what happened to the beavers.

You don’t know what happened? Oh I do. They went to live on the FARM right? Isn’t that what our parents always told us when the family dog suddenly didn’t greet us after school?

Look you have people who care about the issue. You are a half hour drive from someone who knows how to solve this problem. You are surrounded by people who can help.

Just do the right thing.

FIRES AND FLOODS AND BEAVERS, OH MY!

heidi08 Beavers, Beavers and Fire Prevention, Beavers and Flooding November 21, 2019

Fires and floods are the punishing destructive forces of nature that even the bible recognizes. The answer to both might be staring us in the face. What if what we needed all along wasn’t an ark, but a some beavers?

The National Trust is preparing to release a small number of beavers into the south of England to help manage the landscape and combat flooding.

In a scheme to combat flooding, the National Trust is planning to release a small number of beavers in England. Initially, two pairs of beavers will be released into large woodland enclosures in Holnicote, Somerset, near tributaries to the River Aller. A third pair of beavers will be released into an enclosure at Valewood, on the edge of the South Downs, West Sussex.

Beavers, once native to Britain, were hunted to extinction in the 1500s, although small numbers have been observed in the wild in Scotland and Devon in recent years. Beavers are considered a ‘keystone’ species due to their work building dams in rivers, which significantly affects the landscape and ecosystem around them. Through dam building, beavers help restore precious wetlands through erosion reduction, downstream flood control and water cleansing. However, scientists have also raised concerns about the volumes of carbon being released into the atmosphere from soil as a result of beaver damming.

That’s right. Beavers to the rescue. Again. Although no solution is without its risks. Noah might deserve full disclosure.

“Beavers are nature’s engineers and can create remarkable wetland habitats that benefit a host of species, including water voles, wildfowl, craneflies, water beetles and dragonflies,” said David Elliot, National Trust lead ranger for Valewood. “These in turn help support breeding fish and insect-eating birds such as spotted flycatchers.”

Well said.

Yes they do. And if prevent flooding’s not enough, maybe you’ll be interested to know they can also reduce the risk of fire.

Don’t believe me? Ask a scientist.

Smokey the Beaver: Can Beaver Dams Help Protect Riparian Vegetation During Wildfire?

When beavers move onto a creek, they build dams that slow the flow of water and spread it out over the landscape. That stored water can help keep the entire landscape wet and lush, even when everywhere else is dry. People have seen beaver-dammed areas stay green through droughts before, and this past year photographs of green beaver wetlands surrounded by the char of wildfire showed up in the news media. Although we are seeing this happen, there weren’t any studies proving that places with beaver damming are burned less by wildfires than places without beaver damming. We looked at five different large wildfires that burned in places with beavers, and use satellite data of plant greenness to see whether or not the plants actually stayed green and healthy during the fires if they were near beaver dams. Our data confirms what people had already seen happening: places with beaver stay green even during wildfires, places without beavers do not. For a short (45-second) animation of this phenomenon,

Wow! December 11 in San Francisco. That would be our own heroine Emily Fairfax who wowed the world with her smart research and stop motion film last year. Emily started work as an assistant professor at Cal State Channel Islands and if she keeps this up I’m expecting great things for her and beavers.