Tomorrow night our own Cheryl and Jon will lead a Golden Gate Audubon “Birds and Beavers” walk. It’s a wonderful way to show off the great relationship between these species, and encourage folks to come back for the beaver festival!
I’m trying to limit my hopes to three things:
They get to see baby-head.
A lovely night heron, egret, kingfisher and and/or green heron
This is part of a series of GGAS Summer 2014 bird walks geared to families with children or to more experienced young “junior birders,” and led by our expert Eco-Education staff. Join us as we look for wetland birds near the Martinez Regional Shoreline — such as Green Herons and Belted Kingfishers — on our way to visit the famous beaver dens along Alhambra Creek. We hope to see the beaver kits born this year! Advance RSVP required. For details and directions, please see goldengateaudubon.org/kidsbirdwalks.
Good luck team beaver! And if all this talk of Audubon and research is too lofty for a Tuesday morning, here’s something to appeal more broadly.
For the past little while, Rob Ford–based comedy has been a story of diminishing returns. Late-night hosts have had their fun with the mayor, leaving the wreckage of his term for lesser satirists to pick over. But there’s something about this clip from No, You Shut Up, a Jim Henson Company talk show that airs on American cable TV, that makes us remember what it was like before all this “crack scandal” stuff became as irritating and omnipresent as refrigerator hum. This time, Ford is a muppet beaver being interviewed by comedian Paul F. Tompkins. The beaver’s Ford impression is actually quite good. And that’s all you need to know.
This morning’s very important cautionary tale is taken from the opinion columns of New Mexico, where a well-meaning landowner is feeling like her good dead is getting punished, and a team of champions feel like befriending the water means making enemies on the land. The truth is that their positions are so close you can barely find daylight between them, but their hackles are so raised no one can see what shapes they take underneath. Read for yourself and then pass this on to every landowner and environmentalist you know.
A little more than two years ago I started noticing sticks in the river that bisects my property.
Over time the stick piles grew, rocks and mud were added, a dam was formed and an environmental wonder began. Fascinated, I watched new dams at different angles being built on dry land and wondered if there was something mentally wrong with my new little residents. Why would they be building on dry land, I wondered, only to discover they knew exactly what they were doing when shortly thereafter I observed the water they had diverted to the once dry land.
New visitors began appearing. Osprey, bald eagles, great blue heron, merganzers, mallards, teal, wood ducks and Canadian geese. Nests were built. Babies were born. The cycle of life was a joyous event that I have been privileged to observe. Birds that were not observed here before are now regulars. western tanagers, Lewis woodpeckers, red winged black birds, Bullock’s orioles, black headed and evening grosbeak, pinon, stellar and scrub jays, warblers in every color imaginable.
For more than two years I watched the wetland environment grow, and a river that once was a puny little stream swell. And as my dry land was taken over by wetlands I defended the beaver’s right to be on my property. I spoke before the interstate stream commission, I answered to complaints (made by a seasonal resident and well known trouble maker) to state Fish and Game, The Department of Transportation and Sen. Tom Udall’s assistant.
It was finally determined that the beavers weren’t causing problems. I made a routine of managing their activities to keep them out of trouble. I installed three flow devices to control the water levels. I began to take a sledge hammer to regularly breach their dam in five places to alleviate some of the run off. Everything seemed to be under control and the little furry family created what they were put on this earth to create. A habitat.
I was happy to learn that the beavers are recharging the river and that an underground pond is forming below the dam, under the river, that will release water into the river during times of drought.
I finally became secure in the knowledge that the beavers could stay and would be safe from harm and would not be killed. And then a final blow was delivered from a source I would have least suspected. Amigos Bravos.
By allowing the beavers to create a wetland on my property the water source boundaries on my property changed. Amigos Bravos, owners of nothing, champions of determining what is best for other people’s property, pushed their agenda on the county, rules were made. County rules dictating that I cannot build anything, not even a sidewalk, within 150 feet of any water source. Even though the feds, state and acequia associations already have established setbacks, the county voted to meddle in the business of water and impose harsher regulations.
So Ceilidh allows beavers to make a magical wetland out of her dry sedge and is told that now she can’t build closer to the water than 150 feet. Which means that shed or gazebo is out of the question. Why did she ever let those beavers stay? She used to own nine acres, and now she barely has two? Should other landowners take caution from her story and prevent beavers from drowning their land?
In her “My Turn” column (The Taos News, June 19), Ms. Creech makes an eloquent argument for the protection of beavers and for the fertile environmental habitats that wetlands create – habitats that enhance wildlife, raise the water table, and revitalize rivers. I certainly could not have made a better case for the importance of protecting wetlands and riparian habitat – which is the mission of Amigos Bravos and the intent of the new river protection buffers put in place by the County Commission.
Commissioners Gabriel Romero, Dan Barrone and Tom Blankenhorn are to be commended for bringing river protection into the 21st century.
Our rivers need a voice. The new land use regulations provide space for this voice by ensuring that rivers and the creatures that depend upon rivers have the room to thrive. Prior to the new regulations, there were no restrictions on building along the banks of rivers in Taos County. As a result we have seen development in the form of residential houses, parking lots, and commercial buildings built right up to, and sometimes even hanging over the precious few rivers and streams we have in Taos County. This has resulted in problems for the river and wildlife, as well as problems for homeowners.
Amigos Bravos believes beavers are crucial for protecting and restoring river health. On numerous occasions Amigos Bravos has fielded calls from the public concerned about beavers being trapped and killed. We have found, when taking action to stop the destruction of beavers and their dams, that beaver removal is more often that not prompted by landowners complaining that beavers are causing flooding in nearby homes or septic systems. The new comprehensive land use regulations will help to minimize these conflicts — and thus protect beavers — by ensuring that houses are built at least 85 feet from the stream.
Many of the rivers in Taos County are not meeting water quality standards for dissolved oxygen, temperature, E.coli, and conductivity. Setbacks (buffers on either side of rivers) are effective at reducing all of these pollutants. Research has shown that setbacks are effective at removing sediment in runoff; reducing stream bank erosion; removing phosphorus, nitrogen, and other nutrients that can lead to low levels of dissolved oxygen in aquatic ecosystems. In addition, by protecting the riparian corridor along rivers and streams, the capacity of the river system to store floodwaters is increased, thereby decreasing the risk of flood damage to property. Healthy riparian corridors also help to maintain habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms; maintain base flow in stream channels; and improve the aesthetic appearance of stream corridors (which can increase property values).
Rachel has a point. And most landowners dislike E. Coli.
The truth is Ceilidh and Rachel need to sit down together over a few beers and realize that they both want the water and land protected. Rachel should be working with her team to incentivize landowners for allowing wetlands through environmental tax credits, and Ceilidh needs to recognize that even through her land seems valuable now, it’s nothing compared to what the water’s going to be worth in a few years.
Have another beer. First one’s on Worth A Dam. It’s Taos for chrissake, so we’ll chip in for some chips and salsa too. Keep drinking and talking. Just do it.
Oh the owner and Amigo should be friends!Oh the owner and Amigo should be friends!One gal likes her dry lands wetThe other wants what’s built back setbut that’s no reason why they can’t be friends!Beaver-lovin’ folks should stick together!Beaver-lovin’ folks should all be friends.Owners thanked with a wetland creditBuildings kept off the waters ends!
After you’ve had a few, stagger back to her land and watch the beavers swim around in the water and play. It’s summer so their are probably little ones to enjoy. That always helps us get along better.
Beavers living in the Devon countryside are to be rounded up by minsters and sent to live in a zoo, it can be revealed.
Instead of ordering them to be killed, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is trying to find a home for them in captivity, to the anger of wildlife campaigners.
Does this song sound familiar? It’s the same dirge they sang in Scotland when the free beavers of the River Tay came to the attention of the authorities. The first beaver they captured (remember Eric? Who upon examination became Erica?) died quietly in the zoo. And once they realized there were more free beavers than there were zoos/graveyards, they abandoned the idea.
I think I am as mad about this as I am about the Supreme Court’s indefensible decision to allow employers to deny birth control coverage because it’s ‘icky’. Maybe even madder. After the enormous gala all of England (and the world) threw for these plucky beaver volunteers the notion that they’d conclude that welcome home theme with incarceration makes me want to throw plates at parlimaent.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said they could be carrying a disease “not currently present in the UK”.
Environment Minister George Eustice said the government was considering “the best way” of rehoming the animals.
I’m serious. Go write the Honorable Eustice and remind him the voters are very good at RE-HOMMING politicians out of office when they implement stupid plans. Let’s make them require an intern to handle all the mail they’re getting over this egregious decision. It’s the least we can do to respond to this traitorous crime.
You need something good to wash out that very bitter taste. So celebrate Canada Day with Fur Bearer Defender’s program on beavers. (Everyone else is great, but I sound exhausted so I can only assume I must have been doing something very important.)
CLICK TO PLAY
Oh and Cheryl saw the elusive little peanut last night and snapped a photo which I ruthlessly brightened. Isn’t he adorable?
Our ad in Bay Nature’s August issue just came out. We’re nicely placed in the upper right hand corner of page 17. Thanks Bay Nature for promoting our beavers! And Amelia for the awesome artwork.
And just in case the nature crowd misses the ad in BN, check out the article in this month’s newsletter for the Mt. Diablo Audubon. The editor kindly allotted me 300 word to convince bird lovers to come to a beaver festival. I am very proud of this particular work. In addition to being one of the most carefully crafted and pithy things I think I ever wrote, it is also exactly 300 words.
Except for the last sentence about MDAS having a booth. Ellis added that.There’s a new chapter of meet the characters for the Beaver Believers film, and it’s not me, but it should be someone you know. In case you don’t recognize her right away, this is the beaver magician Mary O’brien who attended our festival in 2010. She has, along the way inspired me, delighted me, encouraged me, exasperated me and terrified me. Not necessarily in that order.
Surprise-AZ Surprise police protect the city from more than unruly humans as wild animals are often the subject of calls. Police responded to a beaver sighting about 6:30 p.m. June 20 near Nick’s Diner at Litchfield and Waddell roads. Police captured the beaver with a shopping cart and then called Arizona Game and Fish Department.
“Surprise” is actually a city outside Phoenix and not too far from the Agua Fria River which flows down to the Gila. But the real surprise is here is what happened next.
Darren Julian, an urban wildlife specialist for the agency, said beavers are indigenous to Arizona and are usually found in areas with water such as the Salt River and Lake Pleasant.
“This one was probably in the midst to find some open water to recolonize,” said Mr. Julian, noting they do not have to swim and can move long distances in canals and drainage areas. It is unlikely the beaver hitched a ride on a truck or trailer.“They are pretty heavy and low to the ground,” he added.
Someone from Fish and Game (sorry, in AZ it’s Game and Fish!) actually knows about beaver dispersal? And even understands about overland dispersal? Are you telling me Game and Fish has a special warden assigned to urban wildlife?
Someone hand me my smelling salts, I’m feeling faint.
Darren Julian sounded like such a potential beaver friend I had to go look him up. I found his contact info at the Global Institute of Sustainability where he presented a poster session with colleagues in 2007 called
An integrated approach to resolving urban wildlife conflicts by using public education and community involvement. Poster presented at the January 10, 2007 CAP LTER Ninth Annual Poster Symposium, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ..
No seriously. He was the lead on a project that educated citizens about living with wildlife and gave them tools for effective coexistence.
That’s right. Someone from Game and Fish presenting on coexistence. Go read the whole thing and maybe drop Julian a note of gratitude. I did. Julian_et_al
In the mean time, that lucky beaver got dropped in the river. Not that icky urban Gila where he would have been trapped out in minutes mind you (just a 20 minute drive from Frys). He was delivered to the beautiful and mostly wild Verde River which is 40+ miles to the east.
to sit down together over a few beers and realize that they both want the water and land protected. Rachel should be working with her team to 
