Month: August 2021

THIS IS HOW YOU SAVE BEAVERS

Well. just because our Martinez beavers have left the stage, doesn’t mean there isn’t fine urban beaver work afoot. Check out this FANTASTIC story from Fairfield about the Laurel creek beavers, and their champion, Virgina Holsworth.

Scouts clean stretch of Laurel Creek, learn about beaver habitat

*Virginia Holsworth leads Boy Scouts Troop 482 on a tour of beaver habitats along Laurel Creek in Fairfield, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. (Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic)*

FAIRFIELD — Dusk had settled onto Laurel Creek when the excitement level rose among the nine members of Scouts BSA Troop 482 who on Wednesday had walked and cleaned up a mile or so of the stream’s banks.

Popping a head out of the dark, breeze-rippled water, not far from its lodge, a beaver could be seen.

Moments earlier, a pair of whiskered river otters were spotted in the creek as well.

The appearance of the two aquatic mammals was the climax to the tour the scouts were guided on by Virginia Holsworth, who has made protecting the beavers and their self-constructed habitat on the creek one of her life’s missions.

Her Facebook page has more than 200 followers, and she maintains a website to provide information about Laurel Creek and other waterways in which beavers make their homes in the Fairfield area.

“It’s amazing. I really like beavers and otters,” said Taran Flowers, 11, the newest member of the troop, which is trying to rebuild after the Covid-19 pandemic prevented them from meeting in person and participating in their usual group activities.

Flowers sketched many of the dam sites along the creek. Art is just one of his many interests. Ultimately, he would like to be a baker.

I love every single thing about this story. Every photo, every adjective. As a woman who spent a decade wishing our story would replicate itself like an unfurling strand of bDNA this makes me as happy as I can remember being vicariously.

Virginia Holsworth, far left, leads Boy Scouts Troop 482 on a tour of beaver habitats along Laurel Creek in Fairfield, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. (Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic)

“My mom was looking through stuff on the internet and she thought it might be a good thing to do,” the younger deRosier said.

He said he enjoys the outdoor activities that have been lost to scouting during the pandemic, and particularly camping, his favorite activity.

“And we are absolutely worried about the beavers,” he said.

While Holsworth spent most of the tour teaching about the beavers and the creek environment, she also told the troop members about how the city comes in each year and tears down the largest of the dams.

The city contends that the dams contribute to flooding issues, and materials from the structures, when they break up, have contributed to millions of dollars in damages to city infrastructure.

Holsworth said the Covid-19 pandemic has slowed her campaign for the city to use other alternatives than simply tearing down the dams, but she said she has stayed in touch with city officials, and specifically Councilman Chuck Timm.

Go Virginia GO. Tell those children AND THAT REPORTER all about how the city cuts down the dam year. And one of the kids was sketching the dams? Jesus get that drawing, scan it, send it to the mayor and make sure it airs on the evening news. This is all falling into place. Well done!

Trevor deRosier, left, and Logan Brooks, center, of Boy Scouts Troop 482 check a map for locations of beaver dams along Laurel Creek in Fairfield, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. (Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic)

“I’ll just say I haven’t received a response in my favor; I’ll just say that,” Holsworth said.

But that has not stopped her from trying to keep the public educated, including conducting tours to anyone who wants to come out and learn about the beavers.

“We did a creek cleanup; that was in June. And I have adopted the area of Laurel Creek where they (razed) the dam,” she said.

The creek adoption actually took place through the city’s road adoption program, and includes a signed two-year commitment to keep the creek clean and to “represent the creek well.”

Prior to the tour beginning, Holsworth had “salted” the area with four stuffed beaver toys for the scouts to find, which they did with little difficulty, once they realized what they were looking for among the natural sites.

So so smart. So so smart. Sniff, they grow up so young.

Holsworth has gone so far as to name each of the dams along that stretch of creek, such as the skunk dam due to the unexpected visitor arriving while they were there. In some cases, a cluster of dams fall under a single moniker, such as the Dickson Hill Complex – named for the nearby street.

“They build so many dams close together to slow the water down,” Holsworth said.

But she also told them that she knew very little about beavers and their environment until she took up the cause to try to preserve their habitat on Laurel Creek.

Some dams, as she pointed out, are made of tree material and mud, but in areas where trees are not abundant, they are built with cattails and fennels. She was able to show the scouts where the beavers had gnawed on trees, and an area referred to as an “otter latrine,” on one of the banks.

She also told the scouts that some beavers live in burrows built into the creek banks, while others live in open water lodges. The news that the city tears down the dams each fall did not sit all that well with the scouts.

Siddharth Kishan, 12, also described the tour as “amazing.”

Ohhhh you clever girl. Nicely done Ms. Virginia. Get them to care and them tell them why the dams are in danger. Now it’s up to the troop leader to hand them some paper and ask them to write the mayor.

As others walking along the creek came across the scouts, several noted they, too, had been in scouts in their younger days, recalling their exciting adventures.

“This is really fun,” said Logan Brooks, 13. “You can really see all of nature.”

Yes it is. And yes you do. Now go track down Taran Flowers and send him this. picture of the famous Jack laws sketching at the Martinez beaver dam. for Bay Nature in 2010.

TOO LUSH AND NOT LUSH ENOUGH

heidi08 Beavers and Fire Prevention August 15, 2021

I know it’s hard to believe, but California isn’t the only flammable state. There’s plenty of attention to fires in other places too, Even other countries. Here’s some focused attention on the role beavers can play in fire prevention from Canada of all places.

Beavers may have untapped wildfire fighting skills

The small iconic Canadian mammal known known for chopping down trees may also have a decent set of natural firefighting skills.

By building dams and digging channels, beavers can change small streams into broad wetland areas, keeping plants lush even during a drought, according to a study published by American researchers last year who studied beaver dams and their impacts on wildfires in California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming.

Green vegetation near beaver ponds is more difficult to burn than nearby dry vegetation and fire’s will often take the path of least resistance, burning through dry vegetation away from the beaver ponds, according to Emily Fairfax, an environmental professor at California State University Channels and lead author of the study.

Good work Emily! Her dissertation turned America’s head and is now marching into Canada. Will this be what changes the news about beavers? I’m not holding my breath, but I’m a cynical bastard, so let’s just be happy they are talking about it right now I guess,

It’s possible in parts of Canada, and in northeastern areas of B.C., beavers’ impact could have a similar effect in dryland ecosystems with relatively open vegetation cover, said Jean Thie, an Ottawa-based landscape ecologist.

In denser forested areas in B.C. the beavers would have little effect and in locations where they is already lush vegetation.

Hahahaha. The single most predictable thing about research.”That’s a very interesting finding, but it might not apply HERE because our forests are forest-y-er”. Very similar to the research showing that has show for 2 decade that beavers help salmon and the response from PEI and England saying “It probably doesn’t apply to our fish which are salmon-y-er,” “More research needs to be done.”

There’s no evidence to suggest beavers in the Okanagan, or in Canada, have currently implemented any effective fire breaks with their beaver dams, but it could be possible in locations where beavers have built dams on small sloped creeks and created larger wetland zones, he said.

In B.C.’s northeast corner, east of the Rockies, he said there are a large number of dams that appear to have created more green vegetation in the area with a higher water level than normal. It also appears that a fire came short of the vegetation zone but would require more study as the moisture in the area could have played a role, he said.

“This is another beautiful example… These trees have more water because of beaver and wetlands too,” Thie said. “Definitely they would be helping to reduce the spread of fire in this area.”’

Are you following along? Yes it’s true that lush vegetation might catch fire less often. But all of Canada is Lush. I personally am lush. (Close enough). So beavers won’t make a difference here.

The sheer number of dams in an area would have a more beneficial impact in that landscape as well.

Ya think?

It’s nice to know they seriously considering this. We were just give this photo of the Minister of the Environment and hist staff reading through Dr. Fairfax’s research.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

heidi08 BDA's, Beaver ecological impact August 14, 2021

You’ll remember that a while ago we talked about “The Medium”, the newish platform for reading tightly written articles that make you a whole bunch smarter about a subject you might not have even known about before. Two months ago they hosted a fantastic article about beavers and salmon by Megan Michel and I guess it did pretty well because here comes another by Rosie Struve. All I can say is GO BEAVERS!

Building a Better Beaver Dam

To understand the story of the beaver, it’s important to see the role that beavers play in a riparian ecosystem. Beavers maneuver deftly through water with their paddle-like tails, gnaw through wood with their sharp teeth, and fell entire trees across streams to build their habitats — beaver dams. Their hands are nimble and dextrous, enabling them to arrange rocks into a sturdy foundation, weave branches into dense wooded walls, and spread mud and silt like masons laying mortar. Through the construction of these dams, beavers are able to alter the surrounding environment more than almost any other mammal, aside from humans.

Like man-made dams, beaver dams fully or partially block the stream or river. This blockage slows the flow of water, creating nearby ponds and shallow wetlands. These wetlands are fertile ground for diverse vegetation, which serves as a perpetual food source for the beaver and other animals. Beaver dams also filter water and trap sediment, creating a protected and ideal environment for fish to lay their eggs. More than just a habitat for the beaver alone, beaver dams have positive impacts on the surrounding ecosystem, affecting everything from the water temperature to the biodiversity of flora and fauna in the area.

Nice summation Rosie, we’re right there with you.’

These man-made knock-offs are called Beaver Dam Analogues, or BDAs. BDAs are constructed by pounding wooden posts into a stream bed and weaving in smaller limbs and willow branches across the channel — a tidy and streamlined interpretation of the beaver’s craft. The goal is to imitate the complex environment of a beaver dam to reap the environmental benefits, to ultimately restore a more vibrant and biologically diverse ecosystem.

So far, the results have been encouraging. A 2019 report from a project in the Bridge Creek watershed in Eastern Oregon, conducted by the US Forest Service, found that BDAs resulted in more opportune water temperatures for fish, increasing the overall population of threatened Columbia River Steelhead. The water tables in the area were also raised, creating a larger floodplain and naturally irrigated meadows.

Yes but Rosie, that’s not because humans stepped in and took over the beaver job, it’s because humans allowed the beavers to do their job again and helped them be more successful.

Beavers may have once been the architects of the natural world, but that position has long been overtaken by humans. But just as we have innovated our way to the brink of a climate crisis, we are now faced with the challenge of innovating our world back to the state it was once in. The Oregon Office of Fish and Wildlife suggests that “beaver are being hailed as one of the most cost effective and sustainable solutions for ecological restoration and climate change resilience.” After centuries of inflicting human egotism on the landscape, we are finally looking to the creatures who have been mediating intertwined natural systems since long before we got here. BDAs are a small glimpse of hope that reverting back to that state may be possible.

MAINE NOTICES BEAVERS FIGHT FIRES

heidi08 Attitudes towards beavers, Beavers and Fire Prevention August 13, 2021

Isn’t it nice when people STOP KILLING BEAVERS long enough to realize they do really useful stuff when they’re alive? This story mad it onto YAHOO news this morning and even the local radio station. Good.

Greene’s taxpayers have an unlikely hero to thank: a local beaver

Do you suppose somebody makes a fireman’s helmet that will fit a semiaquatic rodent? Because as far as the Greene Fire Department is concerned, there’s a certain beaver along Bull Run Road that deserves a spot on the roster.

The department’s fire pond was brought up to level recently, and town taxpayers were possibly saved thousands of dollars, when a beaver constructed a dam in just the right place at just the right time.

Who needs a crew of engineers when you’ve got buck teeth and a long flat tail?

“A couple years ago we had noticed the level in the fire pond on Bull Run Road was very low and actually got to the level where the hydrant was out of service,” Greene Fire Chief John Soucy explains. “We thought it was due to the drought and the water level never had a chance to recover. This past spring we had noticed that the spillway had eroded to the point that it would not allow the pond level to rise.”

For years, the department had been using the pond to haul water to areas where there are no fire hydrants. The pond water is considered a crucial part of the department’s firefighting efforts in rural areas. So, with that in mind, fire officials glumly went about trying to deduce what they’d need to shore up that eroded spillway and to bring the pond up to snuff.

Now wait just a dog gone minute. The town relied on this particular pond to keep their fire hydrants full and the that had needed repair for a couple of years? Ummm… I guess they’re not that worried about fires in Maine? Well I’m glad they got the help they needed anyway.

By some estimates, repairs would have cost up to $4,000. But that was before the unnamed beaver, a member of a species best known for its dam building abilities, went to work for free.

“Recently we began to make plans to fix the problem,” Soucy said, “but noticed that the pond level had risen suddenly, and when we looked into it further we noticed that a beaver had built a dam at the spillway, raising the water level to the point where the hydrant is now in service. The beaver saved the town of Greene thousands of dollars in repairs to the fire pond.”

The hero beaver has yet to be spotted in action, yet there is evidence that his or her work continues in service to the fire department.

“He is currently maintaining that dam,” Soucy said, “and the department’s plans to fix the spillway have been canceled.”

Well sure beavers can do a hell of a lot more than that too, if we just let them. I wish every city that noticed beaver benefits made it into the news cycle.

Here’s their headline on yahoo news where the very same article will be read by millions:

Hot dam! Beaver saves the day in Greene

And here’s the report on the local radio station, complete with a groundhog photo:

You

Yes beavers do good things that benefit humans. You would think this was big news or something.

NEW WISDOM IS OLD WISDOM

heidi08 Beaver ecological impact, Beavers and water August 12, 2021

Some days, Monday for instance, are bordering on hopeless. Some days, not so much.

One Cool Island — Freshwater is Life: Reconciliation and Restoring Island Wetlands

The Burgoyne watershed — now known by its original Cowichan name, Xwaaqw’um — is one of the only places on the island where an entire stream system is protected parkland. Despite the changes wrought by early loggers and farmers, the valley’s waterways continue to provide homes for trout, salamanders, tree frogs, iridescent swallows and great blue herons. So, when the opportunity arose to use her expertise in wetlands restoration as part of a larger ecological and cultural revitalization in the park, Annschild jumped at the chance.

In 2019, a partnership sprang up between BC Wildlife Federation, BC Parks and Stqeeye’ Learning Society, which leads an ecosystem and education project at Xwaaqw’um in collaboration with Cowichan Nation.

As a focus for cultural “re-presencing” and a return to Indigenous land management practices, we can see Xwaaqw’um as a microcosm of the shifting human geography of British Columbia. Countless generations of Indigenous stewardship delivered thriving biodiversity. That balance altered when settlers brought land-use patterns centred around field agriculture and deforested pasture-land. Yet, the Xwaaqw’um watershed provides an example of the resilience and adaptability of species. Despite being crisscrossed by eight logging roads, streams in the watershed still have coastal cutthroat trout and coho salmon running through them.

Guess what else they have? Go ahead, guess.

Annschild’s work is informed first by developing an understanding of the disturbance history of a site. According to Annschild, the surprising, single most significant hydrological modification at Xwaaqw’um was the near-total eradication of beavers from the landscape. She remarks, “The presence of beaver in streams not only allows streams to flow year-round but buffers those streams against drought and wildfire.”

“Settlers in B.C. came after beaver populations had already been decimated; what is fascinating is that there is still active ongoing suppression of beaver in B.C., which is not acknowledged. It’s having a significant impact on our watersheds.”

I so appreciate having the dramatic loss of beavers acknowledged. But I must admit that I for one don’t find their continued suppression “fascinating”?

“When I read about climate change, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the words ‘wetland drainage’ together with ‘wildfires and deforestation,’” says Annschild. “To me, we’re missing an ingredient in those models: we fail to calculate how we’ve already dramatically reduced the resilience of our watersheds.”

Annschild is no fool. Well done.

Oh and happy birthday to this “wildchild” who has been my partner longer than I’ve been alive. And let me just say now the answer to this question is “Yes”.

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