Yesterday two unexpected beaver news stories came my way talking about two things I thought would never, never happen.  The first describes the unexpected new flow devices they’re installing in Scotland and the second is a blog from Virginia  talking about the importance of… (wait for it)...beaver dams!

New ‘flow devices’ to be installed at loch in bid to outwit cunning beavers

FLOW devices known as “beaver deceivers” are to be installed in a Scottish loch as part of an ongoing battle of wits with a family of the cunning creatures. Beavers have been determined to dam outflows from the Loch of Kinnordy in Angus, preventing water from escaping via burns and causing flooding in the surrounding farmland and paths.

Until now, efforts to demolish the dams have failed as the resident animals simply rebuild them.RSPB Scotland, which manages the loch as a nature reserve, will now fit two so-called beaver deceivers in a bid to regain control of the water level from the growing beaver family.

Rather than destroying the dam, the deceivers create a leak which the beavers find difficult to detect and repair.

The project is being run by RSPB Scotland in partnership with owners Kinnordy Estate, with support from Scottish Natural Heritage and local communities. Uwe Stoneman, RSPB Scotland’s Tayside reserves manager, said: “Having beavers back in Scotland is tremendous and Kinnordy is an excellent home for them. Beavers are clever land and water managers.

Whooohooo beaver progress! Years ago the powers that be were SO opposed to beavers and changes in streams that they outlawed flow devices and I was asked to even conceal the name of the fellow that had been trained to install them! Now the cats outta the bag an flow devices are in the news. Just as normal as refrigerators or bicycle pumps. I can’t tell you how happy I am about that. When people understand how they can live with beavers they are more open to hearing about why.

Which brings us to our second article of the day, no less unexpected. It’s from the Virginia Tech Ichtheology class and it’s listing 10 ways to restore streams that help fish. Of course the shocking one had to be low down on the list. Check out number 9.

Virginia Tech Ichthyology Class

Ten Things You Must Know about Stream Restoration, by Don Orth

In a world dominated by humans, managing fisheries must include restoring modified aquatic ecosystems and habitats. Numerous approaches exist to achieve ecosystem restoration, habitat restoration, flood control, property protection, sediment management, water quality improvement, and aesthetic or recreational benefits (Wheaton et al. 2008). Although many riverine specialists are involved in this work, we all must play a role in educating citizens on the basics of stream and riverine restoration.   In this essay, I summarize the ten things you and others must know to be effective stewards of streams and watersheds. 

Don Orth is a professor in the Conservation Biology school of Virginia Tech. In fact, he’s the ‘Thomas Jones Professor’ which means his position is endowed by  a former alumni who especially valued the field of fish. He works on ongoing research with his students and fish and wildlife to understand what benefits them fishes.

His list of things one does to improve streams includes all the usual things you would suspect. But what do you suppose made number 9 on his list?

9. Stream restoration may require beaver restoration.

Beavers dominated the waterscapes of North America before European colonists arrived. Stream restoration practitioners are using the beaver in many situations to restore riparian and wetland ecosystems that support declining populations of Pacific salmon and trout (Pollock et al. 2015). Although there are many human and beaver conflicts in our human-dominated landscapes, the use of beavers as partners along with human stakeholder involvement can provide numerous benefits to the landowners. 

 

Ahhh the joyful refrain of beaver appreciation in the morning! Thank goodness for those ichthyologists, them are some of our proselytizers. And everybody believes them because everybody wants the fish.

Hurray for Dr, Orth!