Beaver Heroes

heidi08 Beavers or Social Ambasadors, Creative Solutions, Environmental, featured, Friends of Martinez Beavers April 4, 2017

Lots more headlines this morning about the Wisconsin Beaver-trapping bruhaha. One of them titled “Beaver-drowning traps removed” which is the greatest indication I know that someone from PETA is pushing the story forward. I am a very picky advocate, so I want to demand “so if the beavers were instantly crushed and not drowned, that would be okay?” But I guess there are a lot of right ways to be a beaver advocate. And not wanting animals to suffer is certainly one of them. I of course want them to live, right where they are, and do good things for our waterways and wildlife.

Meanwhile, I was pleasantly surprised this morning to see this headline from the Times-Telegraph in Herkimer, NY.

Local Beaver experts present at Oregon conference

DOLGEVILLE, N.Y. — Owen Brown, president of Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife, and Sharon Brown, BWW biologist, presented “Forty Years Working for Beavers” at the　State of the Beaver 2017 conference in Canyonville, Oregon, in February.

They represented Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife, an educational non-profit based in Dolgeville, that was inspired by Beaver Woman Dorothy Richards, who studied the species for 50 years.

This, the fifth State of the Beaver conference, attracted 200 participants from many states as well as from Canada, Germany, Wales, England and Scotland. It was sponsored by the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe, and held at their Seven Feathers Casino.

“It was a special place,” said Owen Brown, “and a special gathering of people who are interested in the animal that can help solve our most serious environmental problems.”

By building dams, beavers restore wetlands that increase biodiversity, decrease damage from flash floods and greatly reduce water pollution.

Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife solves conflicts between people and beavers so that the beavers and their beneficial wetlands are saved.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Beaver — Agent of Regeneration.” After the event, the Browns accompanied Mike Callahan, of Massachusetts-based Beaver Solutions, and Vanessa Petro, an Oregon State University biologist, to see a beaver flow device at a forested　wetland near Corvallis, Oregon.

Whooohoo! Great job Sharon and Owen! If only every presenter at the conference showed up in their local paper after coming back from the conference. There would be such a glut of good beaver news I wouldn’t know where to start first! I’m sorry I missed their presentation and am lucky I was able to get the meticulous notes Sherry Guzzi took there and hear all about it. I went looking for the summary of their presentation this morning and found that the website had already been updated for the 2019 conference. Way to plan ahead guys. Reserve your spot today!

Yesterday I got to have one of my favorite conversations of the year, when I talked with Amelia Hunter about the beaver brochure for this year’s festival. I usually have a few ideas that I ping off her like a cheerful artistic cell tower. This time I was interested in showing beaver work, water, and some background. In fact I thought the MIT class ring was a perfect place to start.

We got talking about the skyline in the background and Amelia suggested wouldn’t it be cool to replace it with Martinez landmarks instead? Since it was our tenth bea-versary. What an awesome idea! I suggested the John Muir House and the arch/rainbow bridge down at the wharf. She was intrigued and said she’d start playing. We are so lucky that she still wants to help us after SO many years.

I can’t wait to see how this turns out!

Skip tells the truth about beavers

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beavers and Birds, Beavers and climate change, Beavers and Forests, Beavers and Frogs, Beavers and Ice, Beavers and salmon, Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, City Reports, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, featured, Who's saving beavers now? February 13, 2017

This is a fantastic article about Skip Lisle’s upcoming beaver ecology presentation in Maine. It says everything about beavers you ever wanted to read in print – pointing out their importance to wetlands and wildlife, and challenging folks to be smarter than a beaver and save money by doing it. In addition to all this it permanently lays to rest the age-old question as to whether the man that Martinez secretaries once clustered to the windows to watch install a pipe shirtless has, in fact, matured well.

The answer is, yes.

Beaver ecology talks set for Belfast, Liberty

Beaver expert, inventor and entrepreneur Skip Lisle of Beaver Deceivers International will speak in Belfast and Liberty on how to install deceivers and other devices designed to protect human infrastructure, wetlands and beavers.

The assumption is that we cannot outsmart beavers so we have to kill them,” Lisle said in a news release. “I’ve spent my life inventing and installing a number of devices that permanently outmaneuver beavers. I’ve helped communities across the country and in Poland save huge sums of money, and wetlands in the process.”

Lisle’s talk will demonstrate how towns can save thousands of dollars by permanently protecting roads and culverts from beavers. He will also cover the history of beavers in Maine, and the essential role they play in creating habitat and maintaining healthy aquatic systems.

“I don’t know how many people understand just how important beavers are ecologically,” he said. “Without beavers, we basically wouldn’t have wetlands. We can coexist with them; it just takes some creativity and commitment.

“Many people do not know that wetlands are one of the richest habitats, with a greater density of life than anywhere else on land,” Lisle said. “We have to approach the problems we have with beavers intelligently. It is our obligation as stewards. But, we also need to be smart with our money. The human and machine hours it takes to constantly repair roads, destroy dams and kill beavers is really a squandering of public funds. And it never solves the problem because beavers will always return to the site.”

Ahh, Skip, you do this so well. It seems like just the right things to say tumble effortlessly out of your lips at exactly the moment when people need to hear them. The reporter covering this story was obviously impressed because got the entire story down beautifully. Come to think of it, it’s kind of amazing that at both ends of the country there will be important beaver ecology discussions happening on February 22. Now if only we could just get some started in the middle.

This has to be my favorite part of the article:

Of the hundreds of conflict sites where he has worked, Lisle has yet to find one he could not solve. Consequently, he has never had to kill, or recommend killing, a single beaver. Skip serves as a selectman in his hometown of Grafton, Vt., where deceivers are a line item in the budget, and all roads are fully beaver-proof.

Did you read that? I didn’t know Skip was a selectman. When did that happen? I need to pay better attention. But in Grafton EVERY ROAD HAS CULVERT PROTECTION!!! This is a beaver utopia that we can only fantasize about. In fact I’m fantasizing right now. If it could happen in Grafton, why not all over Vermont? Or New England? Or the country?

“Many people do not know that wetlands are one of the richest habitats, with a greater density of life than anywhere else on land,” Lisle said. “We have to approach the problems we have with beavers intelligently. It is our obligation as stewards. But, we also need to be smart with our money. The human and machine hours it takes to constantly repair roads, destroy dams and kill beavers is really a squandering of public funds. And it never solves the problem because beavers will always return to the site.”

Sometimes I just get that contented feeling of being a child asleep in the back seat after a long day at the beach on the car ride home. The happy adults are in the front seat and totally have everything under control. There is nothing I need to do, and everything is going to be okay. Ahh
Since I don’t need to be mature right now, I’m going to surrender to the very inappropriate impulse to post this for obvious reasons:

Beaver Kindness and Beaver Ignorance

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers, Educational, featured, Should I pet beavers? February 12, 2017

Yesterday, our beloved field-researcher Bob Kobres, (the retired UGA librarian who’s always up to date on the latest eco-science) offered to man the website while I’m away beavering in Oregon. You must provide him with every opportunity to entertain, and greet him enthusiastically. Here is Bob and his wife Jane with Jon when they came to Martinez for the beaver festival a few years ago. I am certain whatever arises in my absence you will learn much and it will surely not be misspelled. Thank you Bob for stepping up to the plate!

Now we’re off to Scotland for a ridiculous story I hope doesn’t gain altitude. Our friends assure is that it is a year old, and was a non-event when it actually happened (which explains the sunny conditions in the video). It’s in the Daily Mail which is not afforded any regard. Anyway, remember: do not try this at home.

Chef is attacked by a wild beaver after going to investigate a mysterious brown creature on the grass verge

Castor Gratia Artis

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Beavers, Beavers and climate change, Beavers and Forests, Beavers and Frogs, Beavers and Ice, Beavers and Insects, Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout, Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, featured, Who's saving beavers now? February 7, 2017

OSU is getting ready for it’s grand “Showtime” reception for the Beaver Tales art exhibit this Thursday. They are already getting a nice flurry of attention as folks begin to see beavers in a newway. Organizer Charles Robinson sent their event poster you can see here.

Beavers offer inspiration in ‘Beaver Tales’ art exhibit

The exhibit, now on view at Giustina Gallery in LaSells Stewart Center, is the creation of volunteer curator Sara Vickerman and president of The Wetlands Conservancy, Ester Lev. The two wanted to promote more appreciation and understanding about the important role beavers play in ecosystems, Vickerman said.

“We thought sometimes environmental politics just make people tired and angry,” she said. “That’s not what we want here. We want people to have some fun and enjoy looking at this art.”

Some artists took field tours provided by OSU to the North Coast and Portland to observe beavers in their habitat.

“People were just amazed. Here they (beavers) are living among us, working quietly and not so quietly,” Vickerman said, and laughed. “The artists went out and started looking for beavers on their own.”

About 125 pieces are displayed in the exhibit. Featured mediums include photography, clay, fused glass, stone mosaics, and wood pieces.

“There is everything from people who paint with watercolors, oils and acrylics to sculptures, even a woman who paints on cross-cut saws,” Vickerman said.

“My Oregon home” by Jen Richmond is a beaver painted on a cross-cut saw that is mounted on barn wood.

She was also impressed with photographs of beavers taken in Alaska by retired OSU professor Sharon Rosenkoetter and her husband, Larry.

The beauty of photographing beavers in Alaska is you don’t have the problem of them only coming out only when it’s dark, and you can’t get decent pictures. They have pictures of beavers taken in daylight that are just incredible,” she said.

The exhibit is part of SPARK, OSU’s year of Arts and Science.

“Charles Robinson (College of Liberal Arts faculty, coordinator of SPARK-OSU Year of Arts & Science) got us space at OSU for the exhibit. He thought it was the perfect illustration of the intersection of art and science, because people are doing research at OSU,” she said.

A percentage of the sales of art pieces will benefit The Wetlands Conservancy and other conservation groups, Vickerman said.

I have to admit, I’m having castor envy. I especially LOVE the idea of a beaver painted on a saw blade. Jen that is beautiful work! Something like this is a huge undertaking. They were in the early stages back when I went to present in May. There are so many moving pieces to coordinate, and so many details to keep track of, all my hats are off to them. It’s so exciting that folks will gather to see this art and think about beavers differently – maybe for the first time!

(It was nice of the beavers to win the Civil war this year, that will probably help even more with attendance.)

I would feel like a total beaver slacker by comparison but last night Suzi Eszterhas approached me about the upcoming feature in Ranger Rick and asked me if she could give my contact info as a “Beaver expert” for information and resources in the article. You know the one coming up that will be mailed to children in every state and beyond. Would it be okay to give her editor my phone number? They’d like someone to be able to check for accuracy and verify details about our story and beavers in general?

I must have beamed around the living room for a full 20 minutes before I floated back to the keyboard and assented. “Oh alright” I typed, scowling contentedly,

“You can give my name“.

Beaver Fan Club still has Openings

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beavers, Beavers and climate change, Beavers and Forests, Beavers and Frogs, Beavers and Ice, Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout, Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, featured, Who's saving beavers now? January 19, 2017

Ooh how nice to see the upcoming beaver conference get some positive press! I hope that gets many more curious people in the door.

Seven Feathers to host conference on beaver restoration

CANYONVILLE — Oregon’s official state animal, the beaver, plays an important role in the state’s wetland ecosystems. Those advocating for the beaver plan to convene next month for a series of presentations focusing on beaver ecology as a crucial part of threatened species recovery.

The fifth State of the Beaver Conference, slated for Feb. 22-24 at the Seven Feathers Convention Center in Canyonville, is meant “to provide an international venue for academia, agency and stakeholders together to disseminate information pertinent to beaver ecology,” according to Leonard Houston, conference coordinator and co-chair of the Beaver Advocacy Committee (BAC) of the South Umpqua Rural Community Partnership.

“We chose the theme of ‘agents of regeneration’ largely to highlight the role that beavers play both in natural regeneration, which is ecological succession, and designed regeneration, which is restoration ecology,” Houston said.

The nicest part about this conference, and there are many, is that the famous names you have been reading about for years here or elsewhere are walking or sitting right next to you. Or coming up to say ‘hi’ and ask

about your presentation. The truth is that it is both a blessing and unfortunate that the science of beaver ecology isn’t yet so advanced that names like Woodruff, Obrien or Pollock can send

their undergrads to do the presenting for them and report back if they find anything interesting. As renowned as they are, they have to do their reporting in person and are eager to share ideas and learn from each other. They’re even happy to hear what you have to say.

Admittedly,they are probably even happier if you invite them out for a beer to say it. (And happier still if you offer to pay for it. Government salaries being what they are.)

santa barbara dinner — Michael Pollock, Mary Obrien, Sherri Guzzi, Mike Callahan and Me!

The point is, I think this is a golden moment in time where beaver science hasn’t become dominated and controlled by lofty minds and big research institutions. You can contribute, you can interact. They need you! But already the world is starting to shift. More and more folk are interested in taking charge of the beaver meme, and it won’t be easy and collegial forever.

Beavers are getting so famous, you better come this year. Just to be on the safe side.