Links to Archived Episode or click thumbnail in sidebar to access parts 1-4
Talk about full circle, this is my initial letter printed in the Martinez News Gazette about the beavers:
Leave the beavers’
I am pleased to read that Mr. Ross believes the main street Beaver family is an asset to Martinez. Certainly whenever I visit the dam it is surrounded by human admirers. One can easily imagine a day when fieldtrips of 2nd graders studying habitat come by the busload to visit its sturdy construction…or news cameras…or conservationists. In the mean time this is an excellent opportunity for Martinez to renew its commitment to rebuilding downtown by commending the constantly rebuilding beavers. When the new county building workers dismantled their old dam, they had the new one built within three days. That’s the kind of work ethic we all can get behind.
A fantastic earthday activity would be the planting of tasty trees along the creek line to encourage our furry friends to stay. I and others would certainly donate funds to purchase trees and a massive planting effort could mark the occasion. Any mosquito problems can be easily solved with fish, and a saturday evening :beaver meet and greet” ending at La Beau’s would be a great revenus builder for the city. Consider holding a city meeting to discuss the issue.
If the city takes the archaic and wildly unpopular stance that the beavers need to be eliminated (or worse destroyed), you will encounter massive public outcry. Just walk down there any evening or morning and meet their constituents and lobbyists. And the obvious campaign slogan for protecting their dam in Alhambra Creek?
Leave it to Beavers.
Heidi P. Perryman, Ph.D.
With a prediction track record like that, maybe I shoulda been in the stock market! Seriously, it’s been quite a ride beavers. Thanks for letting us come along!
