Category: Beavers and salmon

SALMON SEZ “WE NEED BEAVERS”

heidi08 Beavers and salmon June 2, 2019

If you can’t listen to me about why beavers matter, then you should at LEAST listen to salmon. They have some pretty strong opinions on the matter. NOAA too.

Working with Nature’s Engineers to Build Coho Salmon Habitat

NOAA partners managing an innovative pilot program in Oregon are constructing dam starter structures for beavers to finish building, creating slow water areas for juvenile Coho to thrive.

Analogs provide a solid foundation from which beavers can start building their dams. Photo: Upper Nehalem Watershed Council

On the Oregon coast, NOAA and partners are leveraging the strong engineering skills of their beloved state animal to restore important habitat for threatened coho salmon and other species.

Supported by NOAA, our partners at the Wild Salmon Center and Upper Nehalem Watershed Council are embarking on a pilot project. It will assist beavers with building dams in key areas of tributaries where juvenile migrating fish grow. Once built, beaver dams create slower moving sections of streams for juvenile fish to use as habitat.

Isn’t that a lovely sight to behold! A bunch of scientists teaming up with a bunch of nonprofits to lure beaver into a stream and make things easier for salmon It’s nice when everyone teams up to do the right thing. And we know who’s eager to play on the team soon just as soon as the set up the bases.

Similar to estuaries and river delta habitats, the slow-moving pools of water behind beaver dams offer juvenile salmon critical time for feeding and growing before their trip to the ocean. Unlike man-made barriers to fish passage, adult salmon are able pass beaver dams when they migrate back upstream to spawn.

With these pilot projects, NOAA and partners are building foundation structures, called “analogs.” They are placed in areas where beavers once lived, and where the stream grade and size are optimal for juvenile salmon habitat. Think of them as the foundations of a home.

The slow-moving pools of water created by beaver dams provide habitat for threatened coho salmon and other species.

Once we introduce the analogs to ideal areas, beavers find them and build out the rest of their new homes. Rows of wooden posts intertwined with tree branches and straw give our furry restoration partners a solid foundation from which to start building their dams. We also ensure they have plenty of food sources by planting willows and other tasty foods beavers like while removing invasive plants from the areas.

The key to success for salmon, a certain famous NOAA scientist once explained to me, is that you have a safe place to get fatter so that when you finally do make your way downstream to sea you are big enough that

- 1) more things fit in your mouth to eat
- 2) you yourself fit in fewer mouths to eat.

The keys to salmon success are not complicated. Survival is paramount and beaver ponds give them a better chance of surviving. More salmon with more of a chance means better outcomes. It’s that simple.

These innovative but simple projects are turning back the clock to times where beavers freely built dams along streams and rivers in Oregon watersheds. Modern development has straightened stream channels and increased the amount and speed of water flow. This makes it hard for juvenile salmon to rest during freshwater stages of their early lives. This habitat loss for beavers and salmon has created population declines for both species.

Simple solutions that bring complexly beneficial results. Beavers dams are the ‘seat belts‘ of the stream system. They keep salmon safer and help keep the water from getting away or going causing problems by going too fast. What they do isn’t rocket science. They aren’t based in complex chemistry or mechanical physics. They don’t drive the car or power the vehicle.

But we all stand a better chance of reaching our destination when they’re in place.

Yesterday Jon finished hanging our ‘directional signs’ for the beaver festival. I think these will look cute scattered around the park, suggesting that you’re going to find good things for the environment whichever direction you go. Which is true.

ANOTHER HAND ON DECK

heidi08 Beavers and salmon May 31, 2019

Do you remember that popular kid who you really really wanted to be in your play but he never came to rehearsals and refused to help with the curtains. And then when he finally showed up after the performance has started you were torn between jumping up and down with joy that he came and suddenly launching into your own performance of “the little red hen” and angrily sending him away?

Well, the popular kid just got here.

Lawsuit Launched to Protect Endangered California Salmon Harmed by Federal Beaver-killing

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— The Center for Biological Diversity today launched a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program for killing California beavers and harming native salmon, southwestern willow flycatchers and other endangered wildlife that uses habitats created by beavers.

In California last year, Wildlife Services killed nearly 1,000 beavers using firearms, traps and snares.

“California’s beavers need to be protected, not persecuted,” said Collette Adkins, a Center attorney and biologist. “Beavers are nature’s engineers, building dams and ponds that help endangered fish and frogs. Our federal government needs to stop shooting and trapping native beavers whose ponds are safe havens for other wildlife.”

Of course this is an echo of the suit already launched by EPIC and the Western Environmental Law center 6 months ago and sure they’re late to the fight, but yes, make room for CBD at the table because they’re turning their full firepower on and going after Wildlife Services. Of course you and I both that the vast majority of beaver depredation happens outside the auspices of WS but this can’t hurt. Point out how important beavers are to salmon. Make the case to the public that killing beavers is the same as killing salmon. Yes let’s all welcome them on board.

Last year, in response to a similar litigation threat, Wildlife Services agreed to stop killing beavers, river otter, muskrat and mink in Oregon.

Numerous studies show beavers benefit endangered salmon and steelhead by building ponds with natural cover and food for the fish. Endangered frogs and birds, including Oregon spotted frogs and southwestern willow flycatchers, rely on wetland habitats formed by beaver dams.

But Wildlife Services kills beavers without considering the impacts to other animals that rely on their dams and ponds to survive.

For example, over a 10-year period in Sacramento County, Wildlife Services killed more than 1,000 beavers, even though federally protected Chinook salmon and steelhead live there and use habitats created by beavers.

Oh i like that. Tie it directly to Sacramento county, which btw has been number 2 in beaver depredation every year we’ve looked at records. Sacramento county with its precious levee system that is constantly accusing beavers of tunneling through their retaining walls.

“Not only are beavers ecologically important, they’re smart, hardworking and adorable,” said Adkins. “My heart breaks for the thousands of beavers needlessly shot and trapped by Wildlife Services.”

Wildlife Services has never analyzed how its killing of beavers affects California’s endangered wildlife, even though the Endangered Species Act requires such study.

Her heart breaks? Hmm that’s an odd thing to say in court, but okay. Yours and mine don’t break. They get steely like flint with resolve. Our hearts get less gullible, less patient. And very very observant.

Today’s notice letter starts a 60-day clock until the Center can file its lawsuit to compel Wildlife Services to comply with the Endangered Species Act.

Well bring the fatted calf because CBD has decided to help beavers in California and regardless of how long it took them or why they delayed they’re here now and this argument just got a heckofalot more interesting.

HCP MUDDIES THE WATERS

heidi08 Beavers and salmon May 23, 2019

Yesterday’s grueling job was finishing the festival map and making sure that there was room for everyone in the park. Last year we experimented with filling the outsides of the park and some exhibits were unhappy with the amount of engagement they received so this year wenre smushing everything back together to keep activity on the inside of the park.

Which means measuring with a fine tooth comb to make sure there’s room for everybody and an aisle to get in and out. Poor Jon had to run back to the park three times just to make sure the numbers were right. But in the end I was pretty grateful everyone fit and things would work. One advantage of everyone being in the interior is that everyone will have an ‘across the way neighbor’ which means that when folks finish at one booth there is another close by to visit. That should increase engagement fingers crossed. And mean that everyone isn’t too far from the artist, the music or the restrooms.

The nice thing about seeing it on paper is that you can imagine the children’s activity and how they will have to hunt down map fragments in every row to get pieces they can then reassemble at the map making station to find the lost key.

Thank goodness Erika will be helping them and tasked with the assembling. All in all it looks like a pretty active event, with 40 exhibits (f you county Amy chalking in the center). Today’s job is getting something in Diablo magazine and final touches on my presentation at Safari West. Oh, plus our labrador Kenzie has a toothache and has to go to the vet. Nothing is ever easy.

Meanwhile folks across the pond from Port Moody are still determined to be as stupid as possible.

Province continues to investigate Saanich’s Horticultural Centre of the Pacific

Investigation stems from May 2 incident that turned Colquitz River ‘chocolate brown’

It remains uncertain whether a Saanich non-profit had the necessary permits to perform work responsible for a spill into a local salmon-bearing river already facing various strains.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is investigating whether the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific (HCP) had the “appropriate permits” under the Water Sustainability Act to remove a beaver dam on Thursday, May 2.

Various public and private authorities have deemed the removal of the dam responsible for triggering a spill of warm, sediment-rich water into the Colquitz River from a weir part and parcel of the HCP.

When are people going to realize that removing a beaver dam is BAD for fish? I know they have fun pretending it’s good for fish, but lots of us know better. Having the ministry of forests investigate whether they did this with the correct permits is ridiculous. Why would anyone hand out a permit for this vandalism? And even if they DID how much investigation would it take to determine whether they did or didn’t?

You and I both know that what they’re really investigating is whether to tell the truth or not about who’s to blame for this fish fiasco.

Ian Bruce, executive director of the Peninsula Streams Society, said he witnessed the river turn “chocolate brown” on Thursday, May 2. Students from Royal Oak middle school were releasing Coho fry into the river at the Wilkinson Road and Lindsay Avenue when the level of the river suddenly rose four inches in height, said Bruce, whose organization hosted the students.

“The clear, slow moving water became chocolate brown with sediment, and began rushing by,” he said. Its temperature rose from 10.8 degree Celsius to 18.5 degree Celsius, while the level of dissolved oxygen dropped by more than half, he added.

Bruce said the spill could lead to the failure of future salmon runs.

Why on earth a non-profit worth its salt wouldn’t know better than to rip out a beaver dam is beyond me. But here’s their website if you share my inclination to shame them. They look a lot like Heather Farms where folks can have weddings and audubon meetings. They probably never exhibited at a beaver festival.

Maybe that could be part of their fine?

LET THAT BE A LESSON TO YOU

heidi08 Beavers and salmon May 7, 2019

My goodness. Pennsylvania is getting its share of better beaver minds at the moment. I even heard tale about beaver information making its way to the new democratic governor. And stories like this can’t hurt.

Spill into Saanich’s Colquitz River could kill future salmon runs

A local environmental advocate fears a recent spill of warm, sediment-rich water into the Colquitz River system could lead to the failure of future salmon runs.

Ian Bruce, executive director of the Peninsula Streams Society, expressed this fear after he and others witnessed the river turn “chocolate brown” on Thursday, May 2. Students from Royal Oak middle school were releasing Coho fry into the river at the Wilkinson Road and Lindsay Avenue when the level of the river suddenly rose four inches in height, said Bruce, whose organization hosted the students.

After calling authorities, Bruce and others then followed the river to discover that the water had entered the Colquitz River through Viaduct Creek, an upstream tributary, that runs near the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific (HCP).

That can’t be good. So the water is running chocolate brown. Anything else you can tell us?

“At the site where the man-made lake behind [HCP] enters Viaduct Creek, we found evidence of beaver dam removal from the weir and overflow spillways with lots of sediment and the water from the lake rushing into the creek, then into the Colquitz River via Quick Bottom wetland.”

Ah HA!
That might be the source of your muddy water right there, and if its not the only culprit it certainly made things worse. Now the article doesn’t go on to explicitly state how much better beavers make things for salmon fry, but I would argue it’s definitely implied.

Bruce expects the incident will have immediate and long-term impacts. Immediate impacts of the spill include the potential death or definite impairment of Coho fry and [smolt] Cutthroat eggs and juveniles, and aquatic insects on which salmon juveniles rely for their food, said Bruce. “Longer term impacts could include failure of future runs,” he added.

Bruce said Salmons already face so many threats that are not easily controlled, including climate change, not to have preventable incidents like this to happen.

Salmons?

Well, okay its Pennsylvania and we’re grading on a curve. The takeaway here is that ripping out beaver dams is bad for salmon. At least that’s what I’m taking away from this. I hope that’s what the students take away too.

This photo ran on the ghost bear facebook page yesterday and I just had to share.

And hey, our ad appeared in Community Focus yesterday and the placement could NOT be better. I sure hope the mayor doesn’t mind his new neighbors but he wasn’t so happy about them last time around as I recall.

THE TRUE DEFINITION OF ‘SWIMMING UPSTREAM’

heidi08 Beavers and salmon April 15, 2019

For reasons I don’t understand I received notice of this video yesterday, which was apparently posted originally in 2015. I assure you that if I had ever known about it I would have shared it right away and of course sent it wrapped in a big red bow to Ted Williams, but I just found out about it. I can’t imagine what rock I was hiding under that I missed it, (although 2015 was a spectacularly bad year, what with all the kits dying and all.) Not to mention it was originally published three weeks before I was retiring my entire clinical practice and closing out 30 years of files, so I might have been a little busy.

Anyway its a remarkable short film, well worth 5 minutes of your time. Patient filmmaker and Associate Professor Andrew Hendry did an amazing job of capturing the salmon experience, although he can’t help but stick a hand in to rescue a fish or two. Dr. Hendry is a fisheries biologist who teaches at McGill University in Montreal, but was actually born in nearby Woodland California!

His specialty is ‘eco-evolution’. Here’s what it says on his faculty page.

Andrew Hendry

Darwin suggested that evolution proceeds very slowly, and this view was almost universally accepted until the later part of the 20th century. Over the past few decades, however, a dramatic shift has taken place toward the idea that ongoing evolution is occurring all around us; so-called “rapid” or “contemporary” evolution.

Now that contemporary evolution is widely accepted as a commonplace occurrence, a number of researchers have become interested in its consequences for ecological dynamics; i.e., changes in populations, communities, and ecosystems. This idea has been incorporated into the developing field of “eco-evolutionary dynamics,” broadly considers ongoing interactions between ecology and evolution. Most of our work to date has focused on one direction of causality in these dynamics – how ecological changes influence evolutionary dynamics (eco-to-evo). More recently, we have started to explore the reciprocal arrow of causality: how evolutionary changes influence ecological dynamics (evo-to-eco). We conduct work on both arrows of causality in multiple natural systems, most frequently in lake versus stream stickleback, high-predation versus low-predation guppies, and Darwin’s finches.

Pretty darn interesting to see a fisheries biologist who films salmon jumping over a beaver dam. Just GUESS here he got his Ph.D..

Go ahead, guess!

Aren’t you exhausted just watching those fish? Me too! That’s an incredible amount of effort to spend knowing they’re just going to die at the end! Come to think of it, maybe that’s one of the greatest parts about being a salmon. The complete lack of self-awareness so that they have zero idea of the futility of their mission.

I’m sure once humans figured out that they were going to die when they reached their original stream and spawned NO ONE w0uld ever go through with it. Even if the possibility of sex was guaranteed.

Self-awareness is an obstacle to evolution. Who knew?