Look what I found from John Zelanzy of the Trout Conservancy of Montana.
Enclosed is the Trout Conservancy’s requestto help cover costs for education and outreach efforts focused on educating landowners, future land managers, and community members about using beaver to restore aquatic habitat and water quality and quantity.Streams throughout Montana and all western states have undergone dramatic alteration since near-extirpation of beaver in the 1600-1800s. Among the most important impacts on water quality and beneficial uses have been increased scouring energy in spring runoff, less sedimenttrapping,reduced habitat diversity, dramatic increases in channel and streambank erosion, lowered water tables in floodplains, and reduced stream flow during critical low-flow periods.
Public misconceptions regarding beaver and lack of knowledge about beaver management techniques limit the potential for headwaters habitat protection and restoration using beaver. The goal of our educational effort is to help restore beaver on private and public land, as well as to help achieve a “tipping point” where public support for beaver and stream restoration is great enough to encourage more funding for research and where lethal management of beaver is no longer the default approach.
Great work, John! Did they get the grant? Did Montana achieve a “tipping point” of public support for beaver? Well the Wilderness Conservation Society just announced a refocus of their grants towards mitigating climate change with this little gem:
WCS’s work in Western Montana to reintroduce beavers to parts of the Big Hole Valley so that these natural engineers will create ponds to increase summer water storage for fish and ranchers.
I wrote both the WCS and Mr. Zelanzy with friendly beaver introductions and I’ll let you know if I hear anything.
