Month: July 2022

SPIRALS – NOT CIRCLES

heidi08 Beavers July 31, 2022

10 days ago – which has become the same thing as a year ago – I learned about the beaver dam in Pleasant hill behind target. My first reaction of course was suspicion, I’ve heard LOTS of false reports of beaver dams in my day. But when I was able to get some locals to photograph it and saw the actual dam I knew it was true. I did some hardy imploring of Cheryl who braved the heat and got the lovely video. And I was excited in this familiar yet novel way I can only compare to the sensation of falling in love.

And then I heard about the desilting plans and felt glumly trapped in the same chinese puzzle box I had stumbled through in 2007. Nothing had changed. I was on a conveyor belt of threatened beavers. It would never get better but it could always get worse.

In truth, I despaired for those beavers.

And then I had a “we ride at dawn” phone call with Ann Riley of the waterboard who is a big believer and beaver buddy. And she suggested a conference call with the county supervisor and all the interested environmental groups, And I was like, wow You can do that? And she was like, NO. YOU can do that and I’ll participate. And I realized I already had an environmental award signed by the same county supervisor and that the group in charge overseeing the de-silting project was the same group that gave our grant for the beaver festival every year.

So I timidly contacted friends of pleasant hill creeks and the chair had been a board member of that committee and approved our grants and was a big fan of Worth A Dam and a friend of Riley’s. And her two co-chairs were both board members of MDAS Audubon who had attended my beaver talk in 2019. And everyone was so excited about beavers and appreciative of my knowledge and background and thought everything I said was a great idea. Except they didn’t want to have a supervisor meeting, they wanted to go straight to flood control with my suggestions because they had recently hammered out a very good relationship and they thought that was the best route.

So I had a nice chat with the liaison of the desilting project and sent the video on to speak for me and things look brighter – possibly much brighter for those Pleasant Hill beavers. And I realize whatever else I may be in this big world my beaver reputation proceeds me and I am a something when it comes to beavers in Contra Costa. Maybe not a force exactly, but a kind of tractor beam it is hard to completely ignore.

So I guess what I mean is that, yes I am still going in circles. But on a spiral staircase. And the view is definitely getting better. Stay tuned,

CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION HEROES: COLLECT THEM ALL!

heidi08 Beavers and climate change July 30, 2022

Something tells me this label is going to stick. Chalk it up to the fact that most of us have zero idea what to do about global warming. We know it’s really really important. And we can all think of folks and corporations to blame for it. But when it comes to actual solutions we are plum out of ideas.

It’s nice to think that a rodent might have us covered.

Beavers engineering resistance to onslaught of climate change

Beyond the benefits to beavers themselves, their work has a long list of positive side effects that help local ecosystems thrive. This complex is lush with plant life, and at least one fresh-looking scat deposit. Fairax calls the droppings a “huge pile of evidence” that the wetland is a hospitable stop for deer and elk.

“There’s so much different habitat here,” she said. “If you like eating little herby things, we’ve got it on-site. If you like eating other animals, we’ve definitely got that on-site. If you need to hide under the sticks, there’s plenty of them. If you like to swim like a frog, there’s tons of water pathways you can take. So pretty much all these different organisms, when they come to the beaver ponds, they’re getting ideal habitat for themselves, too.”

The April study – “Beaver: The North American Freshwater Climate Action Plan” – is largely a summary of existing research, pulling together and contextualizing established science about rivers and beavers. It makes the case that beavers once were pivotal in shaping and maintaining healthy riverscapes before their populations were crippled by years of trapping.

I have seen this show up in so many places. I am sure right now in flooded Kansas there is some biologist shaking his head and thinking, would it have helped if we had more beaver dams on the river? Of course it would have helped. Not fixed it. But helped.

In reality,” he said, “it’s not out of our control. Here is something that we can do. Here is something that we can think about as an adaptation and mitigation strategy – returning riverscapes to their natural state. And that’s going to give us climate change protection and resilience.”

That protection and resilience comes in a few forms. The first is a safeguard against flooding. Rising temperatures are increasing the frequency of heavy rain and rapidly melting snow. In the channel of a narrow stream or river, that surge of water is likely to quickly overtop the banks and flood. Beaver wetlands, with their wide swaths of soggy land, would help spread some of that water out and limit flooding downstream.

Just as beaver complexes are helpful in the face of too much water, they have proven useful in areas with not enough. High-mountain snow serves as a kind of natural reservoir for the region, slowly releasing water throughout the spring and early summer, assuring a steady supply to the places where humans divert and collect it. But as the West continues to rapidly warm and dry, snowpack is getting smaller and melting earlier. Beavers, meanwhile, are essentially building miniature reservoirs in mountainous areas throughout the region.

You would think, that if there was this inexpensive resource all across the contiguous united states that could do this work for free with only the resources every state can easily afford we would let them have at it.

Drought also means an increased risk of wildfires, and beavers have proven their mettle against the flames. Even in areas completely ravaged by wildfire, where tree trunks are reduced to blackened toothpicks and soil is left gray and ashen, beaver complexes survive unscathed. The wet earth and thriving greenery resist burning, leaving oases of green in the middle of the lifeless moonscapes left by wildfire.

Spreading water out across valley floors also has proven benefits for water temperature, water quality and even carbon sequestration. Moving water laden with sediment, nitrates or carbon slows in beaver ponds, allowing particles to settle or get consumed by microbes, unlike in a fast-moving stream.

Jordan said allowing or helping beavers to expand their work would help more areas, at least locally, steel themselves against more extreme weather conditions brought on by climate change. But he knows the industrious animals won’t turn things around entirely.

“We have to have a diverse portfolio of potential responses,” he said. “Some of them are mitigating the impacts – that is trying to solve the damage that’s already been done, and others are adapting – trying to solve or fix the damage rather than return and return conditions to the way they were before. Beaver-modified floodplains are playing both roles.”

The study suggests humans could help boost the work of beavers through policy changes. In many jurisdictions, beavers are considered pests that can be killed if they’re agents of crop damage or caught plugging culverts, flooding roads or property.

Don’t look at me. I didn’t say it.

BEAVER DAMS DROOL, OUR DAMS RULE!

heidi08 Beavers July 29, 2022

Well the beavers mitigate climate change Op-Ed got a weeks worth of news. It’s running this morning in Illinois. Everyone wants a hero in these dark days. But that doesn’t mean folks aren’t still killing heroes whenever they get in the way.

Beaver dam to be removed at Idlewild Park

The City of Cranbrook will begin removal of a beaver dam at Idlewild Park following the recommendations of engineering consultants and the Provincial Dam Safety Officer.

In July 2021, staff first noticed that a beaver had taken up residence in the Idlewild reservoir and was beginning to build a dam upstream of the Idlewild pedestrian bridge and raising water levels on the upstream properties. Discussions to relocate the beaver have been ongoing since.

Later in the winter, the Provincial Dam Safety Officer contacted the city about the operation of the Idlewild Dam. A subsequent inspection by the Provincial Dam Safety Officer included a recommendation to remove the beaver dam to ensure the continued safe operation of the Idlewild Dam.

Although the city has not been formally ordered to remove the beaver dam at this time, the province could order the city to do so.

There’s a provincial dam safety officer? Seriously? That sounds so Canadian. Do you think he ever says “yup that dam is totally safe. leave it right there?” Nope I don’t either.

BBA Engineering, who designed the Idlewild Dam in 2016, was consulted following the recommendation by the Provincial Dam Safety Officer. BBA Engineering also recommended the removal of the beaver dam to protect the Idlewild Dam.

In June 2022, Keefer Ecological Services Ltd. was contracted to lower the beaver dam and reduce its size of due to significant upstream flooding and damage to adjacent private property. Staff noted the foundation of the walking bridge was also starting to be damaged due to the overflow. Subsequently, the beaver dam was lowered by Keefer Ecological Services Ltd. and city staff have continued to monitor for any beaver dam rebuilding activity.

As of July 2022, using cameras monitoring the site, there has been no beaver activity.

The decision to remove the beaver dam was not taken lightly. City staff will begin work with a local biologist to determine the best timing to complete removal of the dam.

At this time, the city will not be removing any beavers in Idlewild Park, although the biologist or the province may deem the relocation of the beavers as a necessity prior to the dam’s removal.

Ahh so there’s a manmade dam AND a beaver dam. The manmade dam is what the provincial inspector inspects. The beaver dam just needs to skeedaddle. Manmade dams are way better. Here’s their photo when they started work. And oh, saying that we’re watching to see if the beavers are “moved” is a lie. Beaver relocation is illegal in Canada. They only place they an be moved to is the afterlife.

City council and staff will review the decision on the beaver dam in Fall 2022 and provide any additional updates as to whether the dam is rebuilt or any future action regarding the dam or the beavers will be taken.

Sure it’s not problem, now. because it’s summer. The beavers aren’t going to work on their dam until the rainy season. No water to save means no dams to build.

A YOUNG ENGINEER WALKS INTO A BAR…

heidi08 Beavers July 28, 2022

An ecosystem engineer walks into a bar and orders a pint…stop me if you’ve heard this one…

‘Disbelief’ as ‘big’ beaver walks into Staffordshire pub

The Yew Tree Pub in Norton Canes became an unexpected nature reserve when a beaver wandered into the pub around 8.45pm on Monday evening.

The beaver is then believed, after wandering into the main bar area, to have run through the bar and into the smoking shelter outside, where it hid under a section of chairs.

A member of Linjoy Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue – Midlands was called to the pub to check for the beaver, with founder Lindsay Newell saying there had been some disbelief about it to begin with.

She said: “We were called about this and were a bit surprised to hear it was a beaver as we’ve never seen one up close and were struggling to believe a beaver would actually walk into a pub.

Well well well. Think of ALL the jokes this will encourage! You know how it is, after a hard nights work every lumberjack worth his flannel wants a pint. I’m sure this young beaver is no exception. Of course it’s England so they have NO idea it’s a young fellow. Dispersal is so hard.

“Gareth, our volunteer, went down to the pub and found him outside under the chairs, but managed to get him into the cage by tapping it with his shoe and the beaver just ran into it.

“When he brought it into us, we were surprised about how big it was, but it was a such a nice and docile creature and just sat there eating leaves as we worked out the next step with it.”

Ms Newell said the beaver was checked over by a vet and found to be healthy, and then the group began the work liaising with Natural England and different wildlife trusts to release the beaver, which has now gone to a specialist centre somewhere in Staffordshire.

She said there had been different jokes passed around about what drink the beaver had wanted in the pub, with the best one being Beavertown Neck Oil, but also said it had been a wonderful experience to see the beaver up close.

Ya ya ya. I bet there were plenty o jokes about a young beaver alone in a bar. I’ve heard it ALL before buddy. Believe me.

She said: “It really was a beautiful creature to see up close and the sheer size of it was crazy as you think beavers are very small creatures, but it was very large, with big teeth and a defined tail.

“I don’t know what drink it wanted in the pub, but I’m just glad that it got out safely and Gareth did a good job dealing with it.”

The Yew Tree have been contacted for a comment.

Let’s just hope this little guy finds his way to safety. I’m assuming since its July just left home to make room for the new kids. I actually don’t know about any beaver populations that way. Maybe he’s trying something new.

ALL POLITICS IS BEAVERS

heidi08 Beaver ecological impact, Beavers and climate change July 27, 2022

If you’re lucky in this world people report on your scholarly achievement when it’s newly published. People like shiny new things. You can show the article to your mom or dad and they will feel as if their college dollars were well spent. It helps you get hired so you can support your own research next time. That’s what happens if you’re LUCKY.

You would be crazy to expect them to be talking about this research 5 years later. Even 2 years later is pretty unlikely. But not if you’re Jeff Baldwin.

Beaver Politics in Oregon

A North American Beaver – Castor Canadensis – sitting in the grass grooming itself. Along the shore of a wetland pond. Near Portland in Western Oregon.

With climate change transforming the American West, an industrious mammal could help mitigate some of the worst of the coming drought and flooding crises. The West is getting drier in the dry season and more prone to flooding in the wet season. Beavers could well be a relatively low-cost part of resiliency efforts. As natural ecosystem engineers, these largest-of-North-America’s rodents “increase water storage in ponds and surrounding floodplains, thus slowing winter flows, increasing riparian and meadow water availability, and extending stream flow up to six weeks into dry summer seasons.”

But in Oregon, the Beaver State, beaver politics, for want of a better term, make reintroduction problematic. Scholar Jeff Baldwin details the institutional obstacles to the use beaver in mitigation initiatives. Public policy is mostly controlled by those opposed to the animals. Across seventy-five percent of the state, a predator designation means they “may be killed without record or regulation.” The same statute also guarantees that no information is collected about these killings. Evidence of beaver extirpation is therefore anecdotal and “dismissed as such.”

For more than a century, “state and federal governments have vacillated between promoting and killing beaver.” For instance, Oregon banned trapping in 1899; rescinded the ban in 1918; re-instituted the ban in 1932; then allowed trapping on agricultural land in 1951. There aren’t very many licensed trappers today, but they have a strong lobby. And with the predator listing, you don’t need even a license to kill them in plenty of places.

Well that is crazy I agree. But to be honest things are no crazier in Oregon than they are in California. Probably a little LESS crazy to be honest. We are all suffering from no water or too much water and we’re both highly flammable. We both should be standing in line waiting for our turn to have beavers on our land.

But of course we’re not.

Meanwhile, reintroduction efforts, in cooperation with landowners, in the 1940s successfully boosted beaver populations, a history forgotten by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife professionals Baldwin interviewed.

Before all this, beaver populations across North America were attacked with gusto to feed a European market that had already trapped out Europe’s indigenous beaver species. Estimates of the pre-colonization population of beavers in North America run from sixty to three-hundred million. Today, the population is estimated at three to six million, mostly in Canada and Alaska.

Journals of explorers and trappers testify to Western landscapes built in part by beavers. Writes Baldwin, “Now-channelized and arid valley floors across the American West were once difficult to traverse due to multiple channels and broad riparian flood plains covered by dense vegetation.” Could such landscapes, created and maintained by beavers, be brought back?

Gee I don’t know. Something seems to be standing in our way. Something pesky and wide spread. What could it be? I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Examining “the culture of land and wildlife management professionals and policy makers,” Baldwin conducted forty key informant interviews and did a “critical review of literature published by state wildlife management and climate change institutions.”

He found five institutional obstacles to beaver recolonization and/or reintroduction. Two were legislative. Beavers are listed as predators—pests of agriculture crops and products—so they can be killed with impunity. And climate change policy recommendations have to be “politically neutral,” meaning they are essentially impossible to enact, as neither beaver nor climate change is considered apolitical by many of the involved bureaus and land managers.

The three other obstacles were “positions shared by many wildlife management specialists.” These were: there are enough beavers already; licensed trapping doesn’t affect population; and reintroductions are ineffective. Baldwin’s research undermines all three of these assertions.

Alright JEFF! Tell us why!

In fact, “the benefits of beaver recolonization,” are well-established and well-documented, but Oregon’s political process stymies action. Between 2008 and 2017, nine state agencies and working groups released thirteen reports addressing climate change and wildlife and land adaptation. Baldwin notes that none of these mentioned beavers. To avoid controversy and legislative veto, the reports “generally avoid calls to make any material changes.” [Baldwin’s italics]

In Oregon, the Department of Agriculture “also represents the timber industry,” and since beaver reintroductions can lead to “road failure,” the powerful industry demands the right to control beavers on their land.

Politics and attitudes don’t change as fast as the climate. The fate of the giant Castoroides beavers, as large as bears, may be a teachable moment here: climate change did them in.

Baldwin concludes that de-listing of beavers as predators would be a key step to re-beavering the Beaver State. Meanwhile, Oregon’s indigenous tribes are already paving the way with beaver reintroductions of their own

Well they say all politics is local. I would say that “All politics is beavers”. Beaver is the ultimate NIMBY. Try living with a beaver dam in your city for a decade and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

The article ends with a nice reference to Jeff’s paper and a link so readers can see for themselves. Remember that Jeff is at Sonoma state now and was the one responsible for getting the beaver summit to be hosted there. He was thrilled when I sent him this news article. You can see why.

Maybe if we drown the west in good news about beavers SOMEONE will finally start paying attention.