Beavers or Social Ambasadors – Page 33

As if we needed another reason…

heidi08 Beavers or Social Ambasadors, In the News August 21, 2008

I was cruising beaver news the other day and found an article in the guardian about the then newly elected President Bush who was going to have a trapper in Colorado make him a special inauguration hat from patriotically slain beaver pelt. Now that shoulda made us mistrust the guy right away. Apparently PETA responded immediately to the news and wrote a persuasive (and for them, restrained) letter asking that it not happen. I couldn’t find anything about the outcome, but the story just seemed fitting to me. Doesn’t that just reflect the overall impact of this man’s presidency on the environment? To say nothing of the economy or national security…

Remember back when the media was reporting that he was the kind of candidate Americans would like to “have a beer with”? Well, I think I’ve found the perfect brew: (Come to think of it, there might be a few choice others I want to invite along…)

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=VUqsF8vbR_Q]

Beavers were seen in the am and pm shift yesterday, with a host of new appreciative watchers. Jon kayak-cleaned the creek on tuesday and was annoyed to find a plastic bag on the secondary dam the day after his cleaning. (Plastic bags are great offenders, as they blow from all over the city and often end up in the creek, and eventually at a dam.) He scrambled through the brush to haul it out to a cheering crowd and two curious kits who came to watch what was happening. The action so inspired an appreciative on-looker that he went down the other side to fetch a large gin bottle in the trench under the footbridge. Someone remarked that the beavers were very well looked after, and another said as an after thought “We should all be so lucky.”

Gotta agree with you there!

Beaver Fever: New Believer

heidi08 Beavers or Social Ambasadors, Festival, pictures September 6, 2008

Hey now that’s a Dr. Suess book just waiting to be written. Check out your gazette this morning which says that this Art in the Park had the largest attendance of any in memory, with visitors numbered in the thousands.

Now I just want to point out that based on indendent analysis and solid science the increase in attendance covaried with the increase in beaver displays (r=1.0 p>.0001). I’m not saying Worth A Dam should get all the credit, but it seems silly to hide our beaver light under a bushel.

Combining the beaver festival and Art in the Park, Worth A Dam can boast some 65 new memberships and nearly 2500 dollars raised in small donations. Thanks to everyone who helped and invested in the Martinez Beavers. We’ll make sure your gift to them will keep on giving.

Castor Gratia Artis

heidi08 Beavers or Social Ambasadors August 17, 2008

A delightful day at Art in the Park with much beaver support and many new members. Thank you to everyone who helped and everyone who participated. We had many beaver conversions and several stalwart fans reminding us of their support. We also won the blue ribbon for “best display” which I’m told is a new catagory invented possibly for us. Our booth was draped in beaver chews so its very likely everyone will be wanting one for next year. Maybe that’s what we should be giving as thank you gifts! Pictures will follow.

My favorite conversation of the day (and there were many) came from the supporter who I’d never met that explained he’d attended both meetings. He hadn’t spoken at either because he thought “we were all eloquent enough”. This thrilled me a great deal because it means that we vocal beaver-defenders are just the tip of the iceberg. For everyone who speaks up and raises a fuss there are many, many more who think like we do and stand behind us.

Thank you all for reminding me that Worth A Dam is just this:

Video Letter To The Mayor

heidi08 Beavers, Beavers or Social Ambasadors August 15, 2008

Cast this into the mail this evening for all the council and the Gazette.

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=5q4oro4HK-E]

Hope I got everyone’s good side!

Video Letter to the Mayor

heidi08 Beaver News, Beavers or Social Ambasadors August 1, 2008

What would you say about the beavers if you knew the mayor was listening? You might say when you first saw them, or what it means for your family to come down in the evening after dinner. You might say that your relatives came from out of town and surprised you by asking to see them because they saw about them on the news. Maybe you are one of the many landowners along the creek who tell me at the farmer’s market each week how they enjoy the contact with wildlife in their own backyards. Or maybe you are no friend of the beavers and want to say so. Hopefully while you’re waiting in line for your turn you’ll hear such great music and meet such nice people we’ll change your mind. But either way, you’re welcome to speak.

I met a familiar older gentleman at the market last sunday whose expression hardened when I told him about the festival. He has been on all sides of the beaver issue, and spoke for them at the November 7th meeting. He told me, “Its not like I don’t like the beavers exactly, but I don’t like that group of people”. Hmm. That’s a mighty big group of people, stretching from school teachers to waitresses to shell workers to librarians to the homeless. Of all that group, many neighborhoods and many towns even, surely there are a few you can like?

If you need to be reminded that the wide cross section of beaver support stretches across all kinds of people, look back in time at this video. Public comments starts at 48:00. If nothing else this should inspire you with lots to say during your moment on camera. This was uptown, downtown, out of town, and all the places in-between.

The Video Letter project will be at the North End of the park, marked by a large beaver photo. Our own wildlife photographer Cheryl Reynolds will record your thoughts, and I’ll put them together with footage from the day to send to the Mayor and City Council. I’ll make sure they’re posted where we can all see too.