On Friday I attended the second pre-planning meeting for beaver in the Alameda Watershed. I was surprised that all kinds of folk including EBRP and Flood Control and Audubon can’t wait until they are given beavers of their very own.

To love, honor. and cherish. Seriously. Mayor Schroeder would be spinning in his cadillac. There must have been 40 people at the meeting. Molly Alves and Valerie Cook were there to talk about what needed to happen before a beaver reintroduction could be granted. I presented lessons learned in Martinez and everyone was jealous that we had them first.

It was so weird.

Valerie Cook commented that my slides were fantastic and Molly said I was inspiring and she was sorry she couldn’t attend the festival because it was field season.

No one mentioned my recent bear-eating beaver letter.

Honestly it was so bizarre I commented afterwards that it was kind of like being in college and everyone ran around terrified of getting pregnant and then meeting up with you friends in your thirties and all they could talk about was trying to have a baby.

Working on the post-test for kids who do the trading cards at the Beaver Festival. What do you think? I am having a hard time finding an image of trash!

post test

Yesterday’s beaver journaling workshop with John Muir Laws was a hoot and going to be released on recording soon so stay tuned. It was awesome to see him drawing sketches from Cheryl’s photos of our lovely beavers – especially when he drew one from the side using the famous photo of mom beaver that I  have loved for nearly a third of my life now.

Today is a talk with the Alameda Creek Alliance about beavers because they are trying to position themselves on the list for reintroduction. I am giving the man on the street blurb about what Martinez learned.
Wish me luck.

You probably know the talented wildlife artist John Muir Laws whose many books highlight the wonders of nature journaling and stewardship. His wonderful notes and sketches have graced the last page of Bay Nature for decades. Well this is him sketching the Martinez Beavers long ago at the dam site.

Naturalist’s Notebook: Go See the Beavers in Martinez

Well teaches a free online workshop once a month and has a conservationist from the community come talk about the focal species. And guess what it is this month?

Thursday May 15th I’ll be joining him and his many students to talk about the most famous beavers in history and why great engineers deserve great artists. Hopefully we will encourage many new creators of beaver wonders.

Learn why to love beavers and how to draw them with John Muir Laws and special guest Heidi Perryman.

Join John Muir Laws and Heidi Perryman as we explore beaver conservation, why beavers are important parts of ecosystems and how to draw these amazing creatures.

Heidi Perryman, Ph.D., is a child psychologist who became an accidental beaver advocate when beavers moved into her hometown in 2006. She served on the beaver subcommittee to help the city decide how to respond, Then started the organization “Worth A Dam” to coordinate solutions and educate others about their value in the watershed. She has been particularly interested in the way that the beavers’ struggle has connected residents more closely to their environment, to their city government and to each other.

This year, Wolrth A Dam will hold its sixteenth beaver festival – an annual event that has grown to be one of the largest celebrations of urban wildlife in the state. California has come a long way in learning why beavers matter and how to live with them. Heidi is happy that Martinez could be an important part of that process.

All ages and experience levels are welcome. No registration is necessary.

Suggested donation: $20. Your donation helps support me and my family. Your generosity is deeply appreciated and it makes an immediate difference in my ability to continue to offer these programs. Your donation is tax-deductible. Click here to donate. If you are not able to donate at this time, no problem–please continue to enjoy the classes and find another way to pay it forward in your community with acts of kindness and service. Thank you!

If you are new to Zoom or are having trouble with the meeting controls, please see these notes and suggestions on Zoom Tips for Online Classes with John Muir Laws to help you get more out of the online workshop. When possible I will also make a recording of the workshop and post it on my blog. I look forward to seeing you there!

He is a wonderful teacher and nature is lucky to have him. I can’t wait to see what beaver wonders will trickle down from this class. He has already said he is interested in doing a new Nature Notes for the magazine.

Bring

• • Your Journal and favorite drawing materials. Taking notes while you watch and participate will help you remember the new techniques and incorporate them into your journaling.
  • Your sense of humor!

Go hear to join the class next Thursday from 10-11:30, no need to register.

 

Meanwhile I’m pulling together some notes of my own: