Every now and then we get the nature police who without fail worry about the WRONG things. Point in question, author Tom Poland worrying that beavers will destroy the ecology at the old Colley mine site, or the Cornwall Ecogardens worrying that beavers will ruin theirs.
Apparently beavers are very very destructive to nature. Who knew?
All these years I still don’t know who is right, Uncle Joe or the beavers. I know one thing, though. The old mine hole, long filled by rain and a creek, is still going strong. A long time ago, men mined manganese on what is family land back in Georgia. The old Colley Mine has long been abandoned by man, but not nature, and certainly not by beavers. Where manganese was discovered in 1918, you can see evidence of the mine 101 years later. Rusting machinery and tailings betray the old mine’s presence. You see a peaceful pond now where men once toiled.
The dam men erected so long ago keeps holding back the water that hosts waterfowl, wading birds, fish and amphibians such as bullfrogs and salamanders in its marshy edges. Do the beavers threaten that nature-rich environment? I don’t know.
You don’t know whether beavers threaten the nature-rich environment? You know how delicate the ecology at a mine site can be. Just so much balance. I really, really believe your claim of ignorance Tom. I don’t know whether you should be writing anything for anyone ever, But hey, we all have our uncertainties.
The Colley mind is a horrible series of shafts dug for ore that could be ripped from the earth and probably blasted with horrific chemical compounds that infect the water to this day, but good ol’ Tom is worried about the beavers. Because you know how destructive they can be.
My grandmother used to tell me not to bite off more than I could chew. Someone should pass that wisdom along to the beavers. They attempted to cut one large tree but failed. They abandoned the project. Even so, the beavers might know what they are doing. This past Saturday night, something like six inches of rain fell. When I visited the pond the next day all that extra water rushed around the dam through the beaver’s dam and down a mini ravine to Dry Fork Creek where it will enter Clarks Hill Lake and make its way to the Atlantic Ocean. The dam looked stable and strong.
You don’t say. Despite what your grandmother said beaver dams diverting and holding back water. Huh.
More inappropriate concern from the Cornwall Ecogardens in Canada.
CORNWALL – Some ambitious rodents are felling a number of trees in the Rotary Eco Gardens and blocking up a spawning route for salmon.
One or more beavers have been busy in the park oasis, plugging up the waterway and chewing up trees along the path.
City parks staff are putting wire mesh around “significant trees in the area,” which is in addition to the ones already protected given previous beaver activity, Cornwall Parks and Landscaping Supervisor Scott Porter told Cornwall Newswatch.
Gosh, I hate when beavers come barging in and start damaging the ECO-Gardens with their ECOSYSTEM-ENGINEERING. Nobody invited them! And blocking off those poor handicapped salmon who obviously don’t function like every other salmon ever studied that thrives in beaver habitat. Gosh you must be beside yourself.
The city has hired a trapper to relocate the beavers from the Eco Gardens.
“Any trees that have been damaged, creating a hazard to the public, will be removed by the city,” Porter said.
As for the large dam in the Eco Garden creek, which is the outflow from the Cornwall canal, Porter said it will be kept in place until the trapper finishes his work, then it will be opened by city staff, allowing the fish to spawn.
Wow, these beavers really panicked you didn’t they. You are solving the problem THREE times because you were so shaken. First wrapping the trees. Then killing the beavers. And THEN ripping out the dam for good measure.
Are you sure that’s enough? Maybe you want to nuke the entire area and change your passwords?
om Poland: Return of the beavers
How was your Halloween? Ours was typical and one sharp little ghost-princess even correctly used the beaver knocker and exclaimed proudly “It’s a BEAVER!” So we of course gave her lots of candy.
