You knew it would happen. One day, someday a state fish and wildlife agency would pay to install a flow device. It was inevitable. But what state? When?
The question challenges regular readers of this website to pub their thinking caps on. Jon did a good job guessing first Utah (NO) and then Washington (Also No). But think about it. If you’re a state agency and you’re agreeing to do something a beaver advocate has been riding you for YEARS to do, you have to find a subtle way to agree with them and piss them off at the same time.
It’s got to tell them you thought of it ALL by yourself – without their help.
Like if the city of Martinez said they were going to save the beavers better and differently before Heidi Perryman and all those meddling people got involved. They had it all worked out.
If you agree with my petulant premise them the answer is obvious. The State where the inventor of the Beaver deceiver has lived all his life. It can only be Vermont.
State installing water control devices on beaver dams
MONTPELIER — To prevent flooding on nearby roads and private property, Vermont Fish & Wildlife staff have installed 11 water control devices on beaver dams this year throughout Vermont.
Known as “beaver baffles,” these devices allow some water to pass through the dam without breaching it and destroying the wetland.
Fish & Wildlife staff expect to continue to install additional beaver baffles throughout the state this year. The baffles are one of many techniques employed or recommended to landowners to minimize beaver damage to property or trees. Other techniques include using fences to protect culverts, or placing wire mesh or special paint around the base of trees to prevent gnawing.
“The wetlands that beavers create provide critical habitat for a variety of wildlife such as waterfowl, songbirds, frogs, turtles, otters, and moose. These areas can also absorb extra water during rain events and clean pollutants from water, so we work hard to preserve these wetlands,” said Kim Royar, wildlife biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.
Oh that’s right. We’re using Skip Lisle’s knowledge and experience, and even his techniques, but we’re calling it our OWN name. We’re BAFFLING those beavers = not deceiving them.
Never mind that the term beaver baffle is already used for a flow device in Canada with a completely different design. Never mind that beaver deceiver is a PERFECTLY good name and you have a local man who invented for pete’s sake. JUST NEVER MIND.
With funds granted from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and generated by waterfowl hunters through the Duck Stamp Program, the Fish & Wildlife Department has installed more than 300 beaver baffles in Vermont protecting over 3,000 acres of wetland habitat since the program started in 2000.
“We receive roughly 200 beaver complaints a year,” said Royar. “Several staff members respond to these complaints, and one technician is dedicated solely to addressing beaver conflicts from spring through fall. Despite these efforts, other management techniques must be used. We also rely on regulated, in-season trapping to maintain a stable beaver population so Vermonters continue to view beavers as a valued member of the local ecosystem and not as a nuisance.”
Landowners with beaver problems can contact the Fish & Wildlife Department for assistance at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. They can also contact private contractor Skip Lisle at www.beaverdeceivers.com.
Money from duck stamps to pay for beavers! What? That makes sense. Are you sure its what you meant to do because it is absolutely logical. And state agencies controlling wildlife are so rarely that?
What I love the utmost MOST about this article is that even though fish and wildlife is pointedly ignoring Skip, and the project itself ignores Skip, the reporter doesn’t. His or her very last line mentions his name refers you to his website. There is no byline on the article. So whoever you want to angrily call and complain it can’t be done. But it ends as it should with Skip’s information. So fucking there.
Well god bless the stubborn little green mountain state for doing this. And god bless stubborn little Skip Lisle for making it unavoidable, It had to happen and it’s only fitting that it SHOULD BE VERMONT. We should all have some maple syrup, cheddar cheese and Ben and Jerry’s today to celebrate.
Oh and if one day California wants to piss me off by installing flow devices and calling them Worth A Darns they can be my guest!
Finally Robin of Napa forwarded this amazingly urban beaver tweet from Hinge park in Vancouver. I can’t embed it but follow the link. I swear its worth your while.
A break from our regularly scheduled programming this morning to bring you this Canadian beaver stopping to smell the…bushes ??❤️
Hinge Park, Vancouver pic.twitter.com/wU8BHPj4OD— Kelly Canuck? (@KellyCanuckTO) October 21, 2018
