Wow. Can we all move to Montana?

Leah Swartz: The Montana beaver conflict resolution program — tools for coexistence

Imagine what your favorite local river or stream might have looked like 200 years ago. There were no railroads, no cars whizzing by; the river may have sprawled across a wide area, with branching channels weaving in every direction. Cottonwoods and willows likely expanded as far as the eye could see.

In fact, when Lewis and Clark encountered the East Gallatin in 1806, they were so overwhelmed by the vast maze of channels, wetlands, and vegetation they had to abandon their canoes entirely. Among the many wildlife species that inhabited this vibrant landscape, one stands out for playing a crucial role in shaping the environment: the beaver.

Oh boy are we going to like this article. Get the popcorn,

After the fur trade, decades of agriculture and cattle grazing, and the expansion of cities, towns and infrastructure, beavers were nearly extirpated from much of North America, including Montana. But today, they’re making a comeback.

The Montana Beaver Conflict Resolution Program (BCRP) led by the National Wildlife Federation with support from local partners like Montana Freshwater Partners, offers a practical, non-lethal way to help property owners and beavers thrive, together.

Beavers, an animal of deep cultural significance to many Tribal Nations, play a critical role in the creation of life and the protection of streams, rivers, and wetlands.

Beavers are known as “ecosystem engineers,” building dams and digging channels that flood vast areas. These flooded areas help riparian vegetation like cottonwoods and willows thrive, and create some of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth. Their dams help store water, recharge aquifers, and reduce erosion and the effects of flooding by slowing and spreading the flow of rivers and streams. Beaver dams also improve water quality and create prime habitats for fish, birds, amphibians, and mammals.

However, while beaver dams are beneficial, they can also cause issues for landowners and infrastructure. Beaver activity can lead to plugged culverts, flooded fields, and the cutting of trees. Often, the solution to these conflicts has been lethal removal of beavers — a temporary fix, since beavers tend to return to unoccupied habitat.

Wow oh wow. Can we have one of these in every city in the US?

This is where the Beaver Conflict Resolution Program comes in. With seasonal staff now based in Livingston, Missoula, and Great Falls, the program helps landowners and communities address conflicts, while preserving the ecological benefits that beavers provide.

The program offers technical assistance, site assessments, and cost-share funding for tools like exclusion fencing to protect culverts, pond levelers to control water depth, and tree wrapping to discourage beavers from chewing them.

The goal of the program is to reduce conflicts with beavers, while building a greater tolerance for beavers on the landscape. By focusing on non-lethal solutions, the BCRP helps keep beavers in place, allowing them to continue their role as ecosystem engineers.

The project is also training partner organizations to implement these non-lethal methods, creating a network of support for managing beaver issues.

Ultimately, the Montana Beaver Conflict Resolution Program provides an important service for landowners, communities, and the environment. It helps address the practical challenges of living alongside beavers while ensuring that they can continue to play their vital role in healthy ecosystems.

Beavers are key to maintaining healthy landscapes, and by managing conflicts thoughtfully, we can live alongside these remarkable creatures and ensure they remain a part of Montana’s natural heritage.

If you are dealing with beaver-related challenges or want to learn more about the program, you can reach out to your local beaver conflict resolution specialist by calling the Montana Beaver Hotline at 406-393-5557.

Wow Wow Baby Montana goes to the front of the class. You have made my day Montana, and I’m excited to see what other places follow your lead.

There was a MARITIME FUR RUSH.

The earliest record of fur being traded with Europeans in California was in 1733 of Spanish missionaries trading with tribes in upper and lower California for sea otter pelts.

In 1778 Captain James Cook’s third voyage,  otter skins were obtained at Nootka Sound on the Northwest Coast and, although Cook was killed in Hawaii on the way to China, his men were shocked at the high prices paid by the Chinese.[4] A profit of 1,800% was made.

When the accounts were published and EVERYONE wanted to do it. The Boston sailing ships took over the trade and used sales of sea otter from California to pay off debts from the revolutionary war.

They found that beaver skins were equally valuable and started trading with the natives for those too. All before the first mountain man ever crossed the border into the golden state.

The town of Knox is a postage stamp with a population of 3000 in Albany county NY located about 100 miles west of Beaver Solutions, I offer that as context for the very perplexed state in which they find themselves. See if you can spot the problem in their reasoning.

Beavers in the park

Beavers in the town park are wreaking havoc with the recently revamped bridges, according to Ray Weiler, the park maintenance manager.

“I’ve raised everything,” he said and also put in stone to control erosion. “We’re going to be back to square one in the spring,” he said.

Weiler estimated there are currently 40 or 50 beavers in the park.

Wow that’s a lot of beavers. How big is the park? Is it the size of Yosemite? The park is located behind the town hall and has a childrens play yard and a nature walk.

Pokorny, who described himself as a “tree hugger,” said he’d gotten an offer from Gary Salisbury to trap the beavers at a cost of $150 for each location and $100 for each animal caught.

On the other hand, Pokorny reported that Lou Saddlemire said “trapping is a bad idea because it’s indiscriminate.” Saddlemire would get a permit to “shoot the big ones,” he said, and charge $15 per hour.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Oh sweet sunny stupid Knox! You have started my year in the most genuinely funny way! Here I was starting to think that people had all gotten wise about beavers and there was no need for my sardonic  services anymore in this brave new beaver world.

Honestly I don’t know what is funnier. That you call yourself a tree hugger or that you think that shooting  only the big ones is somehow better.

On shooting, Weiler said, “This place is packed with people.” The venue has become a favorite of bird-watchers.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Gee I wonder if those 50 beavers have anything to do with that exploding bird population? Maybe not shooting then. Best not to scare old Mrs Kettlebaum with her field glasses again.

Weiler reported that, when he had called the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, after a hole was ripped in the dam, “you have to jump through hoops to legally remove a dam” and also that trappers have to be licensed.

“What we need is to protect our park,” said Weiler.

Those darn desk jockeys telling US what to do. They are acting like beaver dams are GOOD for the environment of something! We know what’s good for OUR city!

Springer, citing property owned elsewhere by her husband’s family, said, if a beaver dam goes unchecked, “It becomes a mandatory wetland with unbelievable regulations.”

Come on. You’re putting me on. This is an April Fools joke in January. Somebody is making this stuff up right to cheer me up. No one really says that OUTLOUD do they?

Pritchard said that the area in question at the town park “was a hay field at one time.”

“As a farmer,” said Saddlemire, “I’m probably the biggest conservationist out there. I’m not an environmentalist.”

He added, “We don’t want to eliminate the beavers; we have to control them.”

You big sweetie conservationist farmer!  What would happen if you didn’t control them? Would they reproduce like mice and make MORE places where hay fields used to be?

Good Grief.

Schanz advised finding out how many traps Salisbury would set and how long it would take to catch the beavers. Pokorny responded that he would get more details.

Pritchard indicated that time was of the essence, staying of beavers, “They kick their young out,”which causes more damming upstream and hence more flooded areas.

You know how beavers are. Always KICKING their youngsters our of the family so they can spread out and wreak more havoc on the landscape.

They are ruthless.

Weiler noted that $11,000 had been spent on revamping the three bridges, after which Spring made a motion that the town hire Salisbury to trap beavers for an amount not to exceed $5,000.

The motion passed unanimously.

Of course it did.

You know for 5000 you could put in a couple flow devices and completely solve your problem. Assuming you actually have a problem, you never said what it was exactly.

Well, thanks town of hard Knox for beavers. You gave me a delightful memory of what things used to be like right here in Martinez.

Who says you can’t go home again?