You’ll have to forgive the confusion. Apparently the last two posts with the beaver release wreaked havoc on our formatting. I’ve sent them back to their rooms without supper and am going to try today’s post again. Cross your fingers.
Time for a new tradition! I’m going to start sharing only beaver blessings on Sunday, because they are starting to accumulate. And obviously beavers are my religion, so it works out. First we have a very appreciative article about beavers from Devon, Alberta. It’s more of a collection of positive bullet points than an article, but its deserves our attention anyway. 
The city started when the largest oil reserve was discovered there just before valentine’s day in 1947. The town grew up around it. I guess it’s kind of a surprise to find the local paper running a pro-beaver article. But Martinez is a refinery town, and look what we became?
Beaver dams reduce erosion around Devon
A severe storm with heavy rains struck Devon in late July.The south of Devon received about five cm of rain in a very short period of time, about 15 minutes. Storm pond drains were quickly plugged and ponds developed to a depth of six feet. Heavy downfalls like this tend to runoff as opposed to a lighter rain which will be absorbed into the ground. Significant erosion occurred along ditches and water runways but there were some areas where erosion was minimal. In Devon where there are beaver dams, the erosion is much less severe. Dams will form ponds two metres deep. During the summer water evaporates and seeps out. This allows the subsequent heavy rainfall to be contained filling the pond to overflow levels, keeping water on the land longer, slowing stream flow and reducing erosion.
Excessive sedimentation pollution caused by erosion can cover aquatic plants and wildlife living in natural water bodies or even fill in these areas and destroy adjoining wetlands. Fast growing trees are often short lived and once removed quickly re-establish. When aspen are removed, the following year the area is covered with aspen m>This creates important new habitat for sun-loving wildlife such as robins, cedar waxwings, tanagers, grosbeaks and many other birds. Deer and moose love the fresh young growth provided in the tree cleared sunny areas. They intentionally choose areas where the dam floods the surrounding area and creates a wetland ecosystem. This moist area stimulates marshy plant growth and creates a biodiversity close to that of a tropical rain forest.It has been rated the world’s most valuable ecosystem as almost 50 per cent of Canada and the U.S.’s endangered species rely on wetlands for survival.
Deeper ponds are key over wintering and breeding areas for fish, as the depth keeps water from freezing to the bottom.The wetland provided by beaver ponds and related habitats rival tropical rain forests for biodiversity.Migrating birds use the ponds and surrounding wetlands as rest stops on their long journey south. Almost half of the endangered and threatened species in North America rely upon wetlands.
Beavers are a “Keystone” species in North America. This means that beavers play a crucial role in biodiversity. Innumerable species rely either partly or entirely on beaver ponds, many of them threatened or endangered.Therefore, whenever we can coexist with beavers, we are providing the habitat necessary for supporting many other species, and protecting the web of life upon which we depend. (From Beaver Solutions LLC “Working With Nature”).
You will notice that she credits the beaver solutions website for her source, which Mike would be happy about. Years ago we collaborated on a “What good are beaver?” handout he could give his clients. I’m glad to see it’s still on his website. But it surprises me that as a woman from Alberta she doesn’t source the two wonderful Alberta fonts of knowledge: Dr. Glynnis Hood and Cows and Fish. Always site local sources if you can, I have found them to carry more weight with the audience.
Which reminds me that Worth A Dam offered to pay the airfare for Lorne Fitch of Cows and Fish to get to the Beaver Conference next month so he could present on their great work. Leonard Houston gamely agreed to cover room and meals, so Lorne is going to make the trek and teach us all about working with landholders to use beaver improvements. (And I for one know it will be worth every penny.)
Speaking of pennies, our biggest fund raiser of the year is the silent auction at the beaver festival and I have started begging folks for contributions. I thought I’d share two generous donations that were given to us from New York and Vermont respectively.
Steve Sierigk at Acorn Designs in New York was the one who told me about beavers eating the woodland mushrooms on his farm.
Acorn Designs has been creating eco-friendly paper products as notecards, journals, and stationery since 1981. We remain dedicated to finding the greenest papers available and combine that with the highest quality art and stories to present you with a great product with environmental integrity. All of our products are sourced and manufactured in the US; mostly within very close proximity to our Finger Lakes, NY studio.
He donated journals and notecards with this inspiring design. Take a number if you are planning to bid on this, (preferably a number higher than mine!) This seems like the perfect place to take notes at a beaver conference!
A second generous donation came from artist Suzanne LeGault of GalleryVermont. This is a finished screen, mounted on foam core and ready for framing. The colors are so vibrant in person you will have to see to believe.
“Beaver” is an original 9-color screen print from a limited edition of 33. It is not a digital reproduction. Each print is hand pulled, numbered and signed. If you run your hand across the surface, you will feel the layers of ink.
Screen printing is a stencil technique in which thick ink is forced through porous fabric that has been stretched over a frame. The image is created by applying layer upon layer of ink onto a piece of paper with a squeegee. Each color requires a separate stencil. I use oil based ink and 100% rag paper. The print measures 5″ x 7″ and comes matted. With the mat, it measures 8″ x 10″ so it fits into a standard photo frame making framing very affordable.
Remember, it’s always a good idea if you can’t wait to buy your own that you mention seeing the item first here! There’s one more thing to be grateful for this Sunday so I’m going to leave you with the most adorable beaver photo that I have ever seen. Brace yourselves and make sure you’re sitting down. This one is so cute it physically hurts to look at.
