Category: Educational

Beaver Success

heidi08 Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, featured May 17, 2014

In the wake of the recent beavermentary I thought I’d would baste you in the afterglow of some other beaver triumphs. First in Scotland where the historic Knapdale trial has been called a resounding success.

Scotland wild beaver reintroduction trial ‘an outstanding success’

The reintroduction of beavers to the wild in Scotland for the first time in 400 years has been an “outstanding success”, according to the team of ecologists that brought them back.

The four pairs of beavers reintroduced in Knapdale five years ago have produced 14 young, engineered 18-metre-long dams and lodges the size of double garages and significantly boosted tourism.

Monitoring of the UK’s first ever licenced mammal reintroduction programme finishes at the end of May, after five years evaluating the impact of the species on the local environment and the potential to attract tourism. The results will be presented to Holyrood, which will make a decision on the future of beavers in Scotland next year.

Simon Jones, project manager of the Scottish Beaver Trial, said the project had been an “outstanding success” that provided an opportunity to study the ecology and biology of an animal that has not been seen in Scotland for more than 400 years.

Return of beavers to Scotland a success

“The Scottish Beaver Trial is the most exciting and groundbreaking wildlife project that I have worked on in my 15-year career within nature conservation,” states manager Simon Jones on the project’s website .

It’s worth emphasizing this is a *re*introduction.

Fast forward to recent times, and ecologists realized that the loss of the beaver was, truly, a loss. Because it had once occupied an ecological niche, its absence left a vacuum. Wetlands (and their associated creatures) that once relied on the engineering prowess of the beaver no longer had fresh dams flooding new areas. The beaver had played an important role.

The solution then, was logical. Go find some beavers and bring them back to Scotland.

Since then, there’s been a lot of research to assess just how well the beavers have been doing – and how well Knapdale Forest has responded to their presence. The answer on both fronts: Just fine.

It’s all been awesome and wonderful to have so many scientists saying aloud the things we say every day. And the free beavers in Scotland probably wouldn’t have been safe without the legit beaver trial to balance them. I can’t believe I’ve been in the ‘beaver biz’ for so long that I remember being excited when this trial started! Remember we had children place their clay beavers of the map of Scotland during the procession at the 2nd ever festival. I know you’re busy, but you have to watch the video made in 2009 if just to see HOW SMALL the festival was. I can’t believe how much open space we used to have! (Oh and take a moment to fondly remember GTK who filmed this for us and died a few years ago.) (Thanks George)

Wow. I am very, very old. And so are our beavers.

Moving right along, here’s a refreshing headline you don’t see every day, from Missouri.

Beavers have built a dam on an eroding earthen dam in Jefferson County. This photo shows the beaver dam built on top of the eroding earthen dam. (Festus Rural Fire Protection District)

Beaver dam keeping earthen Jefferson County dam from failing, officials say

A beaver dam was just about the only thing keeping an earthen dam on a Jefferson County lake from failing Friday night, and more than 40 homes were under a voluntary evacuation.

The dam is on a six-acre lake on 100 acres of rural, private property just south of Hillsboro and north of De Soto, between Highway 21 and Castle Rock Road.

A resident noticed the issue late Friday afternoon and notified authorities. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, police and fire officials were at the scene.

“We’ve had scares in the past, but it’s the first time we’ve had an issue of this magnitude,” said Warren Robinson, director of emergency management of Jefferson County.

“We’re just trying to err on the side of caution here, but DNR advised us this dam can go at any minute. The only thing holding this water in right now is a beaver dam.”

It’s nice to see people grateful to a beaver dam for a change. Maybe we should take a photo of this moment to remember it by. I don’t know about you all, but I’m feeling kinda biblical.

Make new friends, but keep the old….

heidi08 Beaver News, Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Educational May 10, 2014

Off to Wild Birds Unlimited Mother’s Day event this morning to make new beaver friends. Thought I’d put this together and bring it for our display so folks know what’s coming next week. There are new clips released to day here. Have fun. Meanwhile I just heard from Jari that her interview will air on animal house at noon today, which is 9 here. Catch the interview online WAMU here or catch it online later here

@JariOsborne talks about her new @PBSNature film “Leave it to Beavers” today at noon on @wamu885 and @wamuanimalhouse pic.twitter.com/gwCxV0ToZ6

I’ll be busy promoting how important birds are to beavers and plugging the documentary. I’m trying to prepare myself for the number of well-meaning phone calls and emails I will receive when it airs, telling me that there was ‘something about beavers the other night’. It’s evidence of a message getting out there, and it’s good that people think of me but to be honest, it kind of drives me a little insane that people wouldn’t think I know already.

The owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, Mike Elliot, is a generous host, and the exhibits get shade, drinks and pizza. Mike has already committed to the beaver festival, which is very nice of him. It should be a lovely and cheerful day. There was a blurb about it on Joan Morris earlier in the week, and it will be fun to see Gary Bogue again.

Amazing article from Vermont where there was a dam washout and road damage. The reporter talked to all the right people and still managed to make it a pro-beaver piece, quoting our old friend Skip Lisle, who I haven’t heard from in ages. Delighted to see he’s still doing God’s work and spreading the word aptly. Nice to see Patti Smith stick up for beavers too, wonder how the book launch went?

Want to reduce flooding? Leave it to beavers

Breaches can be avoided through the use of flow devices, which keep culverts open. Skip Lisle, a Grafton, Vt., resident, is known for inventing two beaver dam pipes that he said create “permanent leaks” in beaver dams and prevent reservoirs from getting too big. Lisle’s inventions — the Castor Master and The Beaver Deceiver — allow for a steady release of water. He told the Reformer a dam breach is usually a sign that beavers have left the area, because the animals constantly maintain the structures, which are in a never-ending state of decay. This decay that beavers are always working to counter causes dams to become uneven and erode in certain spots.

Great article, we need that reporter in California. Now we’re off to preach the beaver gospel to bird lovers. Should be a great day.

Beaver Patriotism

heidi08 Beavers, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental May 7, 2014

Finally an embeddable version! Here’s the link so you can email it to all your relatives and friends. What I love most of all about waiting for its broadcast is seeing it be promoted in all 50 states including our own. From WNET in New York, to WXEL in Florida, WGBH in Massachusetts, WVIZ in Ohio, IPTV in Iowa, to KLVX in Nevada – even KHET in Hawaii! All these states that I have covered over the years, valiantly resisting beavers, or exaggerating their problems, or frankly lying about the harm they do. They will all have an hour of beaver benefits on their TV whether they like it or not.

I love that it will be streamed across the airwaves to stubborn people all across this great nation, and even if people are too closed minded to watch, it will still be be there, taking up real estate in their awareness and reminding them that folks are paying attention to this animal. Maybe some child or house wife will watch absentmindedly, but when their city council lies to them in two years or six months they’ll think, wait, didn’t I see some special about that? And they’ll look it up or remember and then talk to their husband of friends and next thing you know there will be a new Martinez to contend with.

Maybe more than one.

SHOWTIME!

heidi08 Beavers, Educational, Friends of Martinez Beavers May 1, 2014

It’s May! It’s May! And the trailer for the new beaver-mentary on PBS is out! Click on the image for an un-embeddable preview and be very very excited. Then check your local PBS station to see when it will be airing around the 14th and plan your superbowl party accordingly! I just heard from the filmmaker Jari Osborne this morning that she’s in New York for a series of interviews and had lunch with the producers of Nature yesterday. Apparently they were really excited about the film and learned a lot! Lets hope this opens a nation of minds!

Leave It to Beavers – Preview

A growing number of scientists, conservationists and grass-roots environmentalists now regard beavers as overlooked tools when it comes to reversing the disastrous effects of global warming and worldwide water shortages. Using their skills as natural builders and brilliant hydro-engineers, beavers can transform and revive landscapes.

Congratulations Jari on ~~a job~~ many jobs well done! I am so excited to view the finished product. If you aren’t sure when it airs near you find out your local PBS station (KQED in the bay area) and check to see when Nature airs. If for some reason it isn’t scheduled to air call the station and demand it! And if all else fails we’ll all be able to watch it online after the broadcast date.

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Great beaver watching last night, five in all, a pond turtle coming over the dam, seven baby ducks, and a demonstration that dam building takes lots and lots of practice – and maybe some geometry!

And the epic turtle journey:

Drawing Near Beavers

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers elsewhere, Educational, Environmental, Friends of Martinez Beavers April 30, 2014

Vermont author at peace with beavers

As its title suggests, Patti Smith’s new book, “The Beavers of Popple’s Pond: Sketches from the Life of an Honorary Rodent,” awards no special status to homo sapiens.

Nor does it critique our species’ role in rapid climate change, and the crowding-out (and extinction) of other organisms.Her adventures offer “a restorative respite from bad news,” the West Marlboro naturalist writes in her introduction.

The book also might be strong medicine against paralysis of the sort that occasionally grips the overwrought environmentalist.

Smith, 52, demonstrates that humans can, with help from other critters, wrest a corner of society away from a civilization branded by planetary mischief.

She’s playful. She credits the authors Beatrix Potter, Thornton Burgess, and E.B. White with populating her childhood “with talking trees and friendly fauna.”

Smith no longer traffics in magic. But her command of natural history, animal physiology and wildlife behavior brims with enchantment.

In 1991, Smith co-founded the Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center near her home. She moonlights as a licensed Vermont wildlife rehabilitator.

Patti Smith’s endearing articles about beavers over the years have been a highlight of this website’s beaver travels. Remember “Ducky all grown up“? Living in Vermont, of course she knows Skip Lisle and has the very good sense to appreciate beavers. In addition to co-founding the nature center and being a generally exceptional human, she’s also a very talented artist. We’ve been in contact before, so I was thrilled to read about the book. Her drawings are adorable and I wrote to congratulate her – (and of course, ahem. that other thing too).

Patti and her publisher both wrote back graciously that they would be happy to send me a signed copy for the silent auction and that we were doing great things in Martinez. Which of course we are, and I wouldn’t change it for the world, but to be honest I’m still a little jealous of Patti’s idyllic conditions. She falls asleep on a bunch of clover while sketching the beavers like something from the pages of Tolkien.

If I feel asleep with the beavers I’d wake up snuggling Robert.

Dewberry the beaver, and shoe (Photo: Drawing by Patti Smith)

There’s a fun interview with her and her mom in the article which you should check out. If you can’t BEAR to wait and buy your copy at the massive biding war at the silent auction in August you can pre order on Amazon or direct from the publisher here.

Albert the beaver, eating while swimming. (Photo: Drawing by Patti Smith)

And any time Patti needs a field trip, maybe some wine tasting or a visit to Point Reyes, she should definitely come see our city beavers! Martinez will provide the train whistles, homeless. and garbage trucks and we’ll bring a picnic and introduce you to the BEAVERS OF PEOPLE’S POND.

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Oh, and I just happened to come across this from CSTMS at UCB last may. I contacted the great presenters, Cleo Woelfle-Erskine and Daniel Sarna-Wojcicki . I was told we had met at the state of the beaver conference and Cleo had just finished transcribing my interview. I have zero memory of being interviewed there, but sometimes before I present I am inattentive to anything else, so it could very well be true! Their presentation is a lot of fun, and Michael Pollock wrote back that it cracked him up, which is high praise indeed. I also mentioned that the last slide they presented was OUR photo and they wrote back appropriately chagrined and talked about wanting to come for a beaver visit in June!

I can’t believe it took me almost a year to find this video. Where has it been all my life? But at least it has twice as many views today as it did yesterday, hopefully more after this. It’s a great look at the changing climate around beavers. And even if it gives everybody in the world credit except Worth A Dam, we know very well how important we are.