California’s Beaver Bill!
I have one job here at beaver central and I was feeling pretty horrified at myself for not doing it all these days until I realized that this has been publicized in exactly 2 capitol beat news collection five days ago. In other words I’m not doing too badly.
Did you catch that? So assembly man Connoly introduced a bill at the end of February to codify the focus of the CDFW beaver restoration team and to make it permanent regardless of who is governor at the moment. Protecting the new beaver policy in California for good. This is from the bills fact sheet:
ISSUE
Because the state’s Beaver Restoration Program was created through a budget proposal, the objectives of the CDFW program are not codified to ensure this important work remains a priority in the future, particularly beyond the current Administration, which has prioritized such projects and wildlife goals.
Not sure how he drew the short straw and got this job for the state, I assume because nearby Marin and their push for beavers, (My 95 year old uncle who calls me every time beavers are on the news lives in San Rafael but I don’t think he has anything to do with it?)
I’m sure you are not surprised that this is my favorite part:
Part of this important program, which was created through an Administration funding proposal in the FY2022-23 budget, includes CDFW issuing new policies to reduce lethal depredation of beavers and promote coexistence.
If this were around in 2008 Martinez would have been pretty dam lucky. But think of all the other cities that can benefit from our pilot program!
The bill ends with a list of co-signers including California Trout and Climate Reality and Project Coyote, Hmm it sorta seems like one important name is missing… You might think that such legislation would want the support of the one non profit that actually HAS coexisted with beavers for a decade and has been internationally famous for it.
Maybe cuz we have a swear?
