Category: Beavers elsewhere

ACCOLADES ACROSS THE BEAVER POND

heidi08 Devon Beavers March 17, 2020

I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny,
but we can have lots of good fun that is funny.

Dr.Seuss

Oh sure 7 million Californians have just been ordered to shelter in place but there is still lots of fun to be had if you’re us. Heck, who knows, beaver readership might go UP in this crisis! There’s no great loss without some small gain.

In the UK at least, beaver comeback has been greeted with good cheer in some quarters. They even grace the new National Geographic which celebrates the return of several lost species.

Welcome home: the lost English species making a comeback

The reintroduction of native species, lost for decades or even centuries from the British countryside, is at the heart of the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan. Alongside the recovery and restoration of wildlife-friendly habitats, the plan explicitly states that the reintroduction of native species is key to nature’s recovery.

A tiny corner of Cornwall is showcasing the huge potential benefits that could stem from the reintroduction of beavers to the south west of England. Hunted to extinction for their valuable fur, beavers are a keystone species with the power to transform local landscapes and provide natural solutions to major problems, such as flooding, water quality and declining biodiversity. A series of trials are currently assessing the impact of reinstating the tree-munching animals to areas of the south west, including Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

A lactating female beaver in the Cornwall project gorges on some brambles. Photograph by David Parkyn

Hurray! The comeback kid! That’s a great photo but honestly I can’t look at it without thinking that the photographer saw Cheryl’s iconic tree carrying photo and decided he needed to take his own. Of course this is slightly better because it proudly displays the renewable generations to come.

Carefully fenced in a two-hectare (five-acre) enclosure of plantation woodland alongside Nankilly water, near Ladock, three Cornish beavers have built effective flood and drought prevention infrastructure, cleaned water, and recreated wetland habitats rich in biodiversity. Their dams, for example, have reduced the peak flow of the stream by 30% after heavy rainfall, says Cheryl Marriott, head of nature conservation at Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

With climate change leading to more frequent extreme weather events, the opportunity to trap water upstream in areas where flooding is less of an issue, rather than let it accelerate downstream to areas where flooding is a major issue, is a huge win. Elsewhere in England, a pair of beavers reintroduced to Yorkshire’s Cropton Forest in 2019 have been suggested as a factor in preventing local flooding during Storm Dennis last month.

Yes beavers can do a whole lot of good things for you, and I’m glad England is recording every step of the way. Chris Jones really became a legendary pioneer when he agreed to try offering his farm up for beavers.

Three years into the five-year trial, Chris Jones, the farmer hosting the Cornwall beavers, said that his farm had recorded six new bird species, including water rail and green sandpiper, and three new mammals (water shrews, harvest mice and polecats).

“This has all happened on a stretch of land that is just 200 metres long, which begs the question of what would happen if we had 2,000km of beaver habitat in the south west,” he says. Jones would be delighted to see the beavers freely released, arguing that on land like his, and along the banks of many rivers and streams, the animals cause precious little, if any, loss of productive land.

Aren’t you proud of every single one of these brave pioneers pushing the beaver conversation forward? Chris Jones and Mark Elliot, Alan Puttock and Derek Gow and Paul Ramsay. They forced this into being and we are all the better for it.

And the advantages of stripping the energy out of rivers and streams brings other advantages too, adds Marriott. “Scientists have been really surprised at the reduction in agricultural pollutants in the water, such as phosphates and nitrates, as the stream leaves the beaver enclosure,” she says.

Water backed up in ponds behind beaver dams slows to such an extent that its pollutants can sink and percolate into the soil, rather than float downstream. These ponds are also creating an environment where algae thrive, kickstarting a food chain that rises through invertebrates to birds and mammals.

Oh yes, beavers kickstart it all. They are the original catalyst. We couldn’t agree more.

FEAR AND LOATHING IN LOUISIANA

heidi08 What's killing beavers now? March 13, 2020

Sure you might be thinking, beavers have an easier time of it now because of things like that conference and Ben’s book. But you’d be wrong. Because beaver stupid runs deep And Hamlet wasn’t kidding when he told Ophelia to stop hoping

“for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it”.

Here’s the relish.

In running beaver battle, Pointe Coupee raises bounty to $50 per tail

In its latest battle against the beaver, officials in Pointe Coupee Parish raised the bounty on the pesky critters that build stream- and culvert-clogging dams that lead to more flooding.

The Parish Council unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday that increases the bounty for beaver tail by $10, allowing trappers to collect $50 for each one they turn between April 1 and May 31. Trappers can still collect $40 before and after those times.

Officials say the boost is part of an effort to encourage more trapping because the cost of finding and destroying beaver dams is an expensive and time-consuming process. Many times crews will raze a dam only to find it rebuilt within a few days.

Fifty dollars a tail? FIFTY? If Louisiana is a boot Pointe Coupee is above the ankle and in the arches of the wearer. It is a parish with six rivers, s healthy alligator population and a wildlife refuge. The average working man can hardly walk by a deal like that When the mean income of the parish is about 20 dollars an hour, offering 50 to kill a beaver is too good to pass up. Imagine, if you trapped a family of five you could easily earn enough to install a goddamned flow device. But hey, I guess they aren’t into longer term solutions.

“Beavers are the best engineers you can find,” said Parish President Major Thibaut. “They’ll build dams on everything from streams and rivers to even bayous with a slight current.If you eliminate the beavers altogether … it saves you from having to go out.”

Well sure. I mean when you face another drought like you did four years ago you could just get some bailout money from Fema, you shouldn’t worry about killing off the animal that could prevent it. Why plan ahead? It’s Louisiana for god’s sake.

“We were able to get more meaningful work done when the time is spent not fooling with beaver dams,” he said. The council has already budgeted the money it expects to pay beaver trappers for this year, Thibaut said.

One of the great ironies of this article is that the photo they ran with it (shown above) is of a beaver with an ear-tag taken in Washington State. That particular beaver was given an earring not for a fashion accessory, but because it was reintroduced on PURPOSE to prevent drought, raise the water table and help salmon. Because, unlike you, that state understands that the animals are valuable and have a vital role to play for our streams.

A live beaver is more valuable to mankind than a dead one. These remaining beaver may be exterminated; but if protected they would multiply and colonize stream-sources. Here they would practise conservation. Their presence would reduce river and harbor appropriations and make rivers more manageable, useful, and attractive. It would pay us to keep beaver colonies in the heights. Beaver would help keep America beautiful.

Enos Mills, In Beaver World

FIRST THEY IGNORE YOU

heidi08 Beaver Conference, Beaver ponds, Who's saving beavers now? March 2, 2020

A week ago Friday I told you was the fish and game commission meeting in Sacramento where they considered the rule change for beaver depredation. Well not so much considered as ‘heard’. Since Tom Wheeler of E.P.I.C. who authored the rule change didn’t want to drive down from Oregon. the Center for Biological Diversity had Lalli Venkatakrishnan there to read a position statement. And it was good. Now we don’t know the outcome because they referred it back to Bonham’s desk and we can only hope he doesn’t leave it in a dusty pile in the corner of his desk or light it on fire, but at least, for one brief shining Camelot moment, we made them think about it.

Remember what Gandhi said:

First they Ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight with you.
Then you win.

Well we ain’t on step one, anymore.

[wonderplugin_video iframe=”https://youtu.be/eSCaeNQ_IHw” lightbox=0 lightboxsize=1 lightboxwidth=960 lightboxheight=540 autoopen=0 autoopendelay=0 autoclose=0 lightboxtitle=”” lightboxgroup=”” lightboxshownavigation=0 showimage=”” lightboxoptions=”” videowidth=600 videoheight=400 keepaspectratio=1 autoplay=0 loop=0 videocss=”position:relative;display:block;background-color:#000;overflow:hidden;max-width:100%;margin:0 auto;” playbutton=”https://www.martinezbeavers.org/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/wonderplugin-video-embed/engine/playvideo-64-64-0.png”]

I have been trying to hunt down photos of cascading beaver dams for Amy to use in her artwork, and I thought you’d want to see these.

The Slate river, near Crested Butte, CO, swollen by a pair of beaver dams; with flowers in the foreground and a snow capped mountain in the distance, combine to make a perfect landscape scene

WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES

heidi08 Who's blaming beavers now?, Who's Killing Beavers Now? February 9, 2020

You would think, wouldn’t you, that a city spitting distance from arguably the most famous beavers in Canada, just 7 miles away from Olympic village where beavers have gotten famous for pictures like the one you see, you would think any city so close to smart answers would be, well SMART, right?

But you’d be wrong. Because Burnaby just has no fricking idea what to do to live with beavers. And their loud whining can be heard all across her majesty’s Great White North.

Damn beavers from destroying Deer Lake forest

Beavers are one of Canada’s great creatures. They are on our money and in our hearts – unless they are cutting down certain types of trees in Burnaby.

The City of Burnaby has taken steps to stop beavers from gnawing down trees around Deer Lake. Fencing has been erected around trees in the area, including sequoias and purple beech, according to photos submitted by Burnaby nature photographer John Preissl.

Um. Guess which are bigger Burnaby. Beavers or Chickens? Do you think this measily wire unattached to a stake is going to keep a 50 lb beaver from just leaning on that fence until they can nibble? I sure don’t.

Preissl regularly photographs around Deer Lake and monitors the wildlife. He says some of the trees can be used by Eagles.

“The beavers got a few more of the trees under the Eagle perch tree overnight,” he said. “One of the downed trees is partially blocking the boardwalk near the Hart House (restaurant) … the brand new cedars and firs have almost all been taken down by the beavers. Maybe time for some fencing around the few remaining?”

Preissl said that he contacted the city and a staff member was immediately sent to take down the tree blocking the boardwalk around the lake and that had created a safety hazard.

Oh NO! The important eagle won’t have ANY where to land when those mean beavers take down that tree. Or anything to eat when all the animals thriving at a beaver pond stop getting a feast of insects or little fish.

Better kill the beaver to save the eagle. That sounds downright American! It’s what they’d do in Montana for sure.

Park Board continues discussion of beavers on Beaver Creek Park

Hill County Park Board met Monday and discussed beaver management options and beaver trapping reports, as well as group reports.

Fran Buell of Gildford provided a beaver damage control report for the board.

“The trappers are now going to concentrate on new areas where they feel, through observation of current beaver activities — i.e. lodge building, dam building, cut down trees and scent mounds — indicate the need to remove the beaveer before more extensive damage is done,” a report presented by Buell said.

Look just because it’s called beaver creek doesn’t mean we want beavers in our creek! Smack dab in the middle of the state, we have places for camping and fishing and NO PLACES for beavers. Do you hear me?

Buell said that in December and January only three beavers were removed due to the weather, lack of ice and other factors, such as previous beaver removal in the area, 2-year-old beavers leaving the colony and human presence, are more than likely the reason for the low number.

She added that the total number of beavers that have been removed by the Montana Trappers Association since the trapping started in October is 25.

Good lord. The area is kind of a highway for beavers. but 25 since October is a high number. Three families. That’s a grim thought. On the bright side the trappers might be exaggerating their success. That’s comforting.

The board also discussed possible alternative beaver management options with park board member Renelle Braaten. She said she has been in contact with the Humane Society of the United States Wildlife Response and Policy Senior Adviser Dave Pauli and provided a report that said he is working with some foundations and non-profits to come up with some plans to teach people in the community more about beavers.

His report said he has reached out to two beaver experts in Montana because they were excited to learn about opportunities to potentially have a co-existence demonstration project in Montana and the opportunity to have a regional workshop here as well.

“He’s pretty excited about it, and I’m pretty excited about it,” Braaten said. “I think it would be excellent for our park not only to do some things out there that would be good for the park, but also I know (board chair Steve Mariani) said at a meeting once it could be a viewing area and that’s a possibility is what it sounded like to me.”

Mariani was not at Monday’s meeting.

Pauli said groups like the Defenders of Wildlife and National Resources Defense Council, which also have employed the two beaver expert biologists, had quickly signed on to potentially provide a training conference in Havre for any state, federal, non-governmental organization and private parties that want to learn more about beavers.

Bratten added that nothing is written in stone, but she wanted to provide an update.

You mean actual wildlife for people to see in a park? Get out! What a novel idea! And great numbers of fish and birds because of the invertebrate changes beavers bring? Wow! That’s something,

It takes a steady soul like Dave Pauli to bring new ideas to Montana. I might just be whacking every one in the head with rolled up newspapers.

MAKE WAY FOR BEAVERS: YOU CAN COUNT ON THEM

heidi08 Beaver ecological impact, Who's saving beavers now? February 3, 2020

What do you know? Yesterday was ‘World Wetlands Day”. Gosh if there were ONLY an animal that made and maintained wetlands everywhere for free! But that’s a crazy thought. It’s not like the World Wildlife Fund or any of the big money conservation groups know about that at all.

You’ll not in this poster Wetlands clearly make homes for beavers. Not the other way around.

The good news is there are still a few clear=sighted heads in this topsy turvy world. Like Mike Settell for instance.

Volunteers count beaver population in Mink Creek area

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) – A group in Pocatello is trying to increase the beaver population in local wildlife areas.

“Beaver fill such an important role in the ecosystem and the watershed in general, that they are really undervalued in terms of what they do,” said Mike Settell, theexecutive director of Watershed Guardians.

Watershed Guardians is a local conservation non-profit focused on helping the American Beaver thrive in southeast Idaho.

On Saturday, volunteers gathered for the ninth annual beaver count at the East Fork Mink Creek area. Beavers are an integral part of ecosystems. They help control floods, suppress wildfires and improve water quality.

“They’re really good for supporting native fisheries, especially Yellowstone cutthroat (trout),” Settell said.

Oh Mike, Mike Mike. You are the hero of EPIC proportions. I am so glad you have done this important work for nine years.

Settell said the group hopes to decrease the amount of beaver trapping in the area.

“We think by showcasing all the amazing things that beaver can do for our community, we can try to shift that discussion and shift that paradigm,” Settell said. Beavers are mostly trapped due to being nuisances. They don’t have a high commercial value, according to Settell.

“In order to fix (a) really really small problem, they have to trap out colony after colony after colony. What that does is makes it more and more difficult for the colony to re-establish,” Settell said.

With the help of a passionate community, Watershed Guardians is helping beavers make a come-back.

Nicely done. Again. For the ninth time. Thank goodness for little sparks of light like Mike!