I suppose you’ve all read the old quote wrongly attributed to Gandhi? First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight with you, then you win. It’s a nice progression that feels good to say. But it forgets one KEY step.

Then they take credit for your work.

I mean that says it all doesn’t it? First they don’t mention you at all. Then they laugh at your ridiculous claims. Then they  line up the big guns to insist what you say can’t possibly be true. Then your point of view triumphs and people accept what you said as true.

And then they argue they said it first and knew it all along.

Truly this article proves my point.

For many years, scientists were misinformed about the habitats and behaviors of beavers in Northern California and did not consider beavers native to the waterways that feed into the San Francisco Bay. Recently, historians and scientists with the California Department of Fish and Game presented evidence that challenged long held beliefs about where beavers belong, and ecologists are establishing important links between the presence of beavers and the health of our watersheds.

Really? Really? The closed minded pseudo scientists at CDFW achieved this momentous reordering of history? REALLY? They did that hard work all by themselves?The funny thing is I don’t see a single name from CDFW named on that paper. But I guess in the end it really comes down to this: Do you want to have your own way? Or do you want credit for your way?

I’ll settle for my own way, thank you very much.

Busy Beavers! Unlikely Watershed Heroes on the Napa River

The hard work of beavers can be seen all along the Napa River and its tributaries. Scientists and biologists working in our local waterways estimate there to be at least 20 different colonies (families of beavers) spotted as far up the valley as St. Helena. In Napa, the Tulocay Creek colony has grown popular among locals; mama beaver and her kits (babies) are regularly featured in the Napa Valley Register.

Evidence of beavers has been documented by white trappers and settlers in the Napa River as early as 1832. Many indigenous peoples in our area have a word for beaver in their native language, suggesting that the presence of beavers extends far beyond written records. White settlers widely considered beavers a nuisance; beavers that weren’t killed by trappers were later killed by landowners. Now that scientists are beginning to gain a better understanding of the critical role beavers play in maintaining healthy watersheds, they are looking to change the way people view beavers from pests to protectors of our waterways.

At the end of the day you have to admit that as much as it’s annoying, as much as it rankles your finer feels, it’s better that the powers that be take credit for the changes you worked so hard to make happen. I learned this first hand in Martinez, where we fought like hell to get the smallest accommodations from the city for the beavers and then had to stew quietly while the mayor got praised for it. I believe I said on Nov 11 2011

 

I am as happy with that paragraph as any single thing I have ever written on this website. It comforts me more than you can possibly imagine.

Beavers are best known for the impressive dams they can build across a waterway. Using their powerful teeth to chew down trees and branches, they skillfully intertwine these materials to build their dams. Next they scour the river bottom and shores to gather mud, rocks, leaves, and grasses to seal the barrier walls and slow down the water flow. As the water level rises, it covers the entrance to their home on the nearby riverbank, known as a lodge, to protect the beavers from predators. A colony of beavers may build several dams on a single stretch of waterway to create the ideal conditions for their home. Holding the water back, the dams forms deep pools where fish, amphibians, birds, and other mammals come to live.

Beavers are a keystone species in the wetland ecosystem. They play a critical role in providing beneficial habitat and food for a wide range of species, who otherwise wouldn’t be able to thrive in the Napa River. Dams form reservoirs that provide food and shelter for creatures of all sizes, keep water temperatures cooler throughout the warm summer months, and filter fine sediment in the water to improve water quality. This provides ideal conditions for the young of threatened species such as Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout to thrive. Visit a local beaver dam downtown or on Tulocay Creek, and you can see a wide range of animals, including turtles, otters, mink, and birds. Beavers transform our waterways from channels prone to erosion to oases of ecological diversity.

Fantastic article from the Napa Library crediting the beavers of Napa. I just wish every single city posted articles like this.

Aside from helping other animals, reservoirs created by beaver dams help the land by slowing the flow of water in the river. Rainfall has more time to be absorbed back into the watershed instead of rushing out to the sea, hydrating surrounding soils and keeping tributaries flowing longer into the dry season. Because of this, dams built by beavers make it more likely rivers and streams are able to rebound after a drought season. In addition to slowing down the water to recharge our water supplies, slower flow also helps prevent erosion. Ponds created by dams help support the growth of plants that stabilize riverbanks during high flows and reduce the amount of land lost. The debris also helps absorb the force of the water that would otherwise flow too fast and wash the land on the banks away.

In Napa County, we recognize the valuable contribution of the beavers to our watershed; government organizations including the Flood Control and Water Conservation District as well as the Resource Conservation District work to help beavers and people coexist. Engineers, scientists, and biologists work to make sure development in the valley doesn’t drive the beavers away from their homes, and work with local residents and businesses to prevent and mitigate damages done by beavers as they chew down trees and raise water levels in creeks.

Let’s have more like this please. And who cares who gets the credit.