You’ll be happy to know that the beavers in Hope Valley on the west fork of the carson river are doing just fine. We counted 7 dams yesterday in the cool clear flat water edged by leafless aspen and tamarack. It looks like nobody is messing with their idyllic lifestyle in the curvy shallows of the carson and we were happy about that! I’m sure they’re hard at work in these last warm autumn days to stock up that food cache for the winter. Good luck!
It is also very good news for us that one of our best beaver buddies in the UK is very tech savvy and made sure the complete autumn watch episode on the Cornish beavers was online and shareable. I’m not thanking them by name because the BBC frowns on this sort of thing! This is a rare treat so even if you never ever watch any video I post WATCH THIS! Trust me.
Wasn’t that amazing? They are being so smart about this, with the baseline study and the careful followup! Hurray for the farmer who had the sense to step into the forefront of this issue and allow his land to be reborn.
You never know where unexpected beaver friends will come from next. Here’s a fine defense of Heron pond from the Cabinet Press in New Hampshire! The author, Suzanne Fournier, is not at all happy with the actions of the conservation commission in charge.
Anti-conservation move must be opposed
The Milford Conservation Commission voted on Oct. 12 to lower Heron Pond by a foot! It’s quite an arbitrary decision, motivated not by what’s in the best interest of the pond and the threatened and endangered wildlife it sustains, but by vague expressions from the Public Works Director that the water is high enough already.
In summer 2014, Director Riendeau’s crew destructively lowered Heron Pond by four feet, absent a real emergency. The beavers eventually repaired the breached dam.
In fall 2014, along the Rail Trail, the CC had beaver pipes installed so low down that three ponds were drained of much of their water, one of them the lovely place called Dickerman’s Pond.
The CC members should be educating themselves more about the value and functions of a healthy wetland like Heron Pond that actually plays a major role in flood prevention.
They would also learn that drawing down Heron Pond with its Blanding’s and spotted turtles during the fall violates the directives in the N.H. Wildlife Action Plan that says turtles would likely die.
This anti-conservation move on the part of the CC must be opposed by all who care about wetlands and wildlife.
Nicely put! I honestly think this is a historic first for beaver reporting. Never before have I seen any paper or person complain about a flow device installed TOO LOW so that too much water drains away. Even in Martinez we didn’t complain about that because we were too grateful the pond and the beavers got to stay at all! Keep the pressure on, Suzanne. We think you’re doing ponds a great service!
