Category: Beavers and Scotland

IT’S OFFICIAL. NOW I’VE SEEN EVERYTHING!

heidi08 Beavers and Scotland, Beavers and trout March 2, 2018

Yesterday two unexpected beaver news stories came my way talking about two things I thought would never, never happen. The first describes the unexpected new flow devices they’re installing in Scotland and the second is a blog from Virginia talking about the importance of… (wait for it)...beaver dams!

New ‘flow devices’ to be installed at loch in bid to outwit cunning beavers

FLOW devices known as “beaver deceivers” are to be installed in a Scottish loch as part of an ongoing battle of wits with a family of the cunning creatures. Beavers have been determined to dam outflows from the Loch of Kinnordy in Angus, preventing water from escaping via burns and causing flooding in the surrounding farmland and paths.

Until now, efforts to demolish the dams have failed as the resident animals simply rebuild them.RSPB Scotland, which manages the loch as a nature reserve, will now fit two so-called beaver deceivers in a bid to regain control of the water level from the growing beaver family.

Rather than destroying the dam, the deceivers create a leak which the beavers find difficult to detect and repair.

The project is being run by RSPB Scotland in partnership with owners Kinnordy Estate, with support from Scottish Natural Heritage and local communities. Uwe Stoneman, RSPB Scotland’s Tayside reserves manager, said: “Having beavers back in Scotland is tremendous and Kinnordy is an excellent home for them. Beavers are clever land and water managers.

Whooohooo beaver progress! Years ago the powers that be were SO opposed to beavers and changes in streams that they outlawed flow devices and I was asked to even conceal the name of the fellow that had been trained to install them! Now the cats outta the bag an flow devices are in the news. Just as normal as refrigerators or bicycle pumps. I can’t tell you how happy I am about that. When people understand how they can live with beavers they are more open to hearing about why.

Which brings us to our second article of the day, no less unexpected. It’s from the Virginia Tech Ichtheology class and it’s listing 10 ways to restore streams that help fish. Of course the shocking one had to be low down on the list. Check out number 9.

Virginia Tech Ichthyology Class

Ten Things You Must Know about Stream Restoration, by Don Orth

In a world dominated by humans, managing fisheries must include restoring modified aquatic ecosystems and habitats. Numerous approaches exist to achieve ecosystem restoration, habitat restoration, flood control, property protection, sediment management, water quality improvement, and aesthetic or recreational benefits (Wheaton et al. 2008). Although many riverine specialists are involved in this work, we all must play a role in educating citizens on the basics of stream and riverine restoration. In this essay, I summarize the ten things you and others must know to be effective stewards of streams and watersheds.

Don Orth is a professor in the Conservation Biology school of Virginia Tech. In fact, he’s the ‘Thomas Jones Professor’ which means his position is endowed by a former alumni who especially valued the field of fish. He works on ongoing research with his students and fish and wildlife to understand what benefits them fishes.

His list of things one does to improve streams includes all the usual things you would suspect. But what do you suppose made number 9 on his list?

In Oregon’s Bridge Creek Watershed, researchers built a number of beaver dam analogs to encourage increased beaver activity and restore healthy river habitat. Photo by Nick Weber.

9. Stream restoration may require beaver restoration.

Beavers dominated the waterscapes of North America before European colonists arrived. Stream restoration practitioners are using the beaver in many situations to restore riparian and wetland ecosystems that support declining populations of Pacific salmon and trout (Pollock et al. 2015). Although there are many human and beaver conflicts in our human-dominated landscapes, the use of beavers as partners along with human stakeholder involvement can provide numerous benefits to the landowners.

Ahhh the joyful refrain of beaver appreciation in the morning! Thank goodness for those ichthyologists, them are some of our proselytizers. And everybody believes them because everybody wants the fish.

Hurray for Dr, Orth!

WILD PROGRESS COMES IN INCREMENTS

heidi08 Beavers and Scotland January 15, 2018

This morning’s Sunday times, which is the widest-read paper in the UK, invites us all to pity the poor, frightened farmer whose very livelihood is hanging in the balance as we consider those horrible beavers.

Gnawing fears over beavers

The Scottish government’s plans to introduce legal protection for beavers while sanctioning lethal culls to protect the environment has prompted concern from wildlife campaigners. Beavers, which were hunted to extinction in Scotland during the 16th century, are due to get legal protection for the first time this year under plans to allow the species to expand naturally.

However, farmers and landowners will be allowed to shoot the animals under special licences issued by Scottish National Heritage to prevent flooding and protect trees from the expert dam-builders.

The approach has attracted criticism from animal rights campaigners who warn that “unofficial persecution” is being replaced by licensed killing.

Farmers and landowners have opposed the project amid reports that persecution of beavers, including pregnant females, has escalated during the run-up to plans to award the species legal protection.

The Scottish government is expected to place a statutory instrument before the Scottish parliament this year, granting the animals European protected species status.

“Where farmers are concerned about beaver activity on their land, we hope to see a well-funded support programme to resolve conflicts without resorting to lethal control,” said Harry Huyton, the charity’s director. “There are many non-lethal ways of managing the impact of beavers. Above all, we must ensure that the unofficial persecution they have suffered until now isn’t simply replaced by licensed lethal control.”

Mark Ruskell, a Scottish Green MSP, said: “The legislation to protect beavers has faced unacceptable delay and as a result there is a still a free-for-all whereby farmers and land managers can kill pregnant and nursing beavers this year with impunity.

“It’s important that whatever management regime is put in place is not based on the gun.”

I know that the big issue facing folks advocating for the Tay beavers was always permission to kill. People were willing to tolerate beavers IF there was an easy way out. I’ve come to understand that some trap door has to be built into their protection, but it would be nice if it wasn’t just a bullet from some resistant farmer without any oversight at all.

“Specifically, where less drastic mitigation measures — such as use of deterrent fencing and translocation — cannot be implemented, and in addition where a clear public interest in culling has been demonstrated.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said licences to control beavers will be carefully managed by Scottish National Heritage, in accordance with the law related to European protected species.

“But in certain locations, the species can create serious difficulties for farmers and other land managers. That’s why the Scottish government has been clear that beavers have to be actively managed, in line with the practice elsewhere in Europe.”

Andrew Bauer, deputy director of policy at NFU Scotland, welcomed “broad agreement” between the Scottish government, farming and conservation groups that appropriate “lethal and non-lethal management of beavers is essential”.

Alright. Beavers can come back after 500 years and we’ll grant them a thin sliver of protection BUT the moment they cause problems and a flow device doesn’t work or costs too much, we still get to kill them, right?

Maybe the concerned countryside can take a page from this story, which I’m told got its inspiration from the Martinez Beavers. Cindy Margolis of Golden Gate Audubon sent it my way this morning saying

“Your example of translating a wildlife conflict into an opportunity to do something much better for wildlife AND the community has always been an inspiration, Heidi. So, we’re trying to ensure a safe future for Oakland’s herons and it might actually be on the verge of happening….”

The Great Heron Project

If kids ruled Oakland, black-crowned night herons would already be the city’s official bird. As it is, a group of Park Day School students is planning to relaunch a petition to help protect these night birds that go kwok in the dark—as an ambitious project to relocate the herons’ downtown rookery moves forward.

As third-grade Park Day teacher Devin Homme explained, last year, a group of his students launched a petition to make the night heron Oakland’s official bird, after learning that the largest night-heron rookery in the Bay Area is in downtown Oakland—a less than ideal location, thanks to the fact that heron chicks tend to shove their weaker siblings out of the nest.

“The idea was, if the herons become the official bird of Oakland, then no one will say ‘no’ to them,” Homme said of the petition, which described the herons as being “cool and funky just like Oakland,” and warned that, “their babies are falling out of their trees.”

And now those relocation plans are moving forward: In November, biologists retrieved 130 night-heron and 20 snowy-egret nests from ficus trees on Harrison and 12th streets, and then contractors drastically pruned the trees to prevent more nesting. The next day, crews removed 13 ficus trees around a parking lot that covered the city block between 13th, 14th, Alice, and Jackson streets. No one knows what the herons thought, since they don’t start nesting until February. But passersby expressed concern about the future of the birds as workers cut down the trees.

Margulis said she was glad everyone cares about the herons, but it’s not against the law to remove trees or a night-heron rookery—once nesting season is over. “So, I commend the city and the project developer for taking the relocation project seriously,” she said.

As for the Park Day students, last year they met with Councilmember Dan Kalb, papered Oakland with heron art, and even secured Mayor Libby Schaaf’s verbal support for their petition, which garnered about 1,440 signatures. And you can bet your night-heron breeding feathers that the students are preparing to relaunch their petition, this time with the support of Oakland Zoo, as they track the rookery relocation project

Well I personally would have been happier if they moved the post office and the developers rather than the nests, but still. Investing city monies to protect urban wildlife and getting the community involved is a very positive thing. I am sure it happened because of those kids and their ability to make everyone want to do the right thing. Congratulations Cindy!

Oakland Herons should have a table at the beaver festival!

BEAVER PROTECTORS

heidi08 Beavers and Scotland January 7, 2018

The first week of 2018 wasn’t so bad, was it? This morning there is a big profile on a plucky young beaver trapper cluttering up my mailbox, but I don’t have the strength of character to tackle that much podsnappery this early in the year. (And yes that IS a word that I just learned, and I love it very much, thank you.) So if we can’t talk about an article that glorifies trappers, lets do the opposite instead.

Calls for state-sponsored trapping and removal of beaver family in the north to stop

Angry campaigners have called for a state-sponsored trapping and removal of a beaver family in the Highlands to stop.

Three beavers died in the first phase of the controversial Scottish Natural Heritage operation, which was ordered by Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham last year. And now, Labour MSP David Stewart is backing conservation charity Trees For Life in its calls for a consultation before any further trapping takes place near Beauly.

Mr Stewart said: “It is concerning that the organisation has written three times to Ms Cunningham since she announced her decision to trap the beaver family but the Secretary has not replied,” explained Mr Stewart. “Strathglass appears to be completely different to Tayside in that the beavers have never caused any difficulties for land managers and most of the community has been unaware of their presence.

“I believe the Scottish Government needs to listen to local views on this issue and I back the call for a full consultation with the community before there is any action to capture the remaining beavers. I would hate to see more beavers dying after being trapped.”

Alan McDonnell, Trees for Life Conservation Manager, explained: ‘We simply don’t understand why the Secretary is in such a rush to take these beavers from the wild without even considering other options or listening to what local people think.” Alice Clifford, Strathglass landowner added: “The beavers have been here for years now, but they haven’t caused anyone any problems – in fact most people didn’t even know they existed.

“The trapping has been a complete overreaction from the Government and a lot of people here are very upset that it has led to beavers dying in captivity.” Trees for Life was studying Strathglass when workers discovered a beaver family in June last year on the River Beauly with two generations of young and the breeding pair had clearly been active for nearly three years.

Did you hear that? Stop trapping our beavers! And let people weigh in on the decisions you make from hear on in. I like the way that sounds. The government has its priorities mixed up. If you want to raise your picket fence by a foot you have to apply for a variance by posting signs and writing every one of your neighbors of your plan. But if you want to kill the only beavers in the county – or the country – that’s just fine.

In California we have so little influence on who gets to trap beavers. My annual PRA request for beaver depredation permits is required by law to happen in 90 days. At day 100 they wrote me this

???

I wrote back with polite incredulity and said are you saying that zero beavers in california have been depredated? Or that you no longer keep track of the ones that are? And if this represents a policy shift please send me the statute so I’m aware of it.

Which prompted an immediate phone call from too-cheerful CDFG attorney saying “OHHHH those records! We didn’t understand! The request went to the wrong place. We’ll take care of it now!”

Meanwhile its day 133 since my request and I’m still waiting.

Tonight is the annual beaver guardians ravioli feed, so you’ll understand if I have to dash this morning and straighten the curtains, count the silverware, or refrigerate the champagne. Our tiny living room is now filled with a table set for 12 and we sat in folding chairs last night. These great folks are coming of course, sadly, minus one. and joyfully plus 2. There are so many more that should be there, but you would need a can-opener to fit one more body in our shabby victorian, so they will have to wait.

We finished dipping the beaver tails in chocolate yesterday, and 300 raviolis are made and at the ready so we’re ready for show time! Wish us and beavers luck.

New Years Ravioli Feast-18

EUROPEAN WISDOM AND THAT OTHER THING

heidi08 Beavers and Scotland December 5, 2017

Time for the European voice on beavers. Starting with this excellent article from Alan McDonnell from Charity Trees for Life and getting a little more silly from there.

Alan McDonnell: Why Scotland’s beavers are like Yellowstone’s wolves

In Scotland, we are starting to live with our own pivotal reintroduction – the beaver. Renowned as nature’s engineers, beavers’ dextrous hands and iron-hard, orange incisors have transformed the river systems they have returned to across Europe. When beavers build dams, they clean sediment from the water and hold back floodwaters. Wetlands can form above beaver dams, creating a host of new habitats for plants and insects which in turn support almost everything that looks for food in a river – salmon, frogs, ducks, herons, bats, wagtails, ospreys and otters all have richer hunting grounds.

When the vegetarian beaver chews through a tree trunk, the tree is prompted to sprout new growth, so riverbank woodlands become dynamic, with young and old trees growing side by side, providing a host of new shelter options for wildlife seeking a home. As beavers return to our rivers, a Yellowstone-style cascade effect is within reach. But we also need to be practical about what it takes to co-exist with wild nature. Where nature and people’s use of land compete for space, there is potential for conflict. Twenty-six European countries have already reintroduced beavers and dealt with conflict between beavers, farmers and fishermen by managing the impacts that beavers have on people’s land uses.

If people and beavers can co-exist comfortably across Europe, we can do the same here.

Restoring habitats and reintroducing wildlife take time, money and long-term commitment. We profit hugely from the well-being and enjoyment the natural world gives us. Enabling nature to thrive creates a wilder, more robust environment which can uphold livelihoods and sustain hearts, for us and for the generations who will inherit our legacy in the land.

Well done, Alan! I love this letter, although beavers are in fact MUCH BETTER than Yellowstone’s wolves which get way more credit than they deserve. Beavers make habitat that sustains all that wildlife, and the truth is, the much-celebrated wolves of Yellowstone function basically like their pimps really, clearing out all the competition so they can work their magic.

Actually, given how terrified your nation is of reintroductions in general I wouldn’t compare beavers to wolves. I’d compare beavers to midwifes. Bringing biodiversity into this world over and over again.

Meanwhile in Germany people are panicking about beaver because a hunter was gored by a boar in the field, prompting the country to do a who’s who of the list of animals that can kill you in, I’m proud to say beaver was third on the list.

Wild boar kills German hunter

A wild boar on Sunday attacked and fatally wounded a German hunter as the man tried to shoot him, police said on Monday. The 50-year-old man was out with several other hunters near the northeastern town of Greifswald — 120 miles (190 km) north of Berlin — when he was killed by the male boar.

10 wild animals that call Berlin home

Beaver the heaver

Although beavers aren’t native to Berlin, in the last decade they’ve made the city their home. That’s because the species is protected, and they are not allowed to be hunted anymore. Now, almost all Havel and Spree waters are populated by beavers – so watch out for the furry, bucktoothed animals when you take a nice summer dip on one of Berlin’s many waterways.

Just for the record, you’re wrong. Beavers are SO native to Berlin. Why wouldn’t they be? At the left is the family beaver crest raised in Heidelberg in the middle ages. Check out those tusks. Those beavers could gore you easily, ya big sissies.

And what, no mention of Belarus? In 2013 a fisherman was killed by a beaver bite after he tried to pick it up for selfie? His friends were too drunk to put on a tourniquet and he bled to death shortly thereafter. It was the single most famous beaver story that I have ever reviewed and it still haunts beaver reporters to this day!

But I like “Beaver the Heaver”. Maybe because I’m a believer.