There is news in the beaver world this morning. And its mostly good. Apparently Vermont fish and wildlife will do anything to help people coexist with beavers as long as it doesn’t rely on the teachings of one Mr. Skip Lisle who lives in Grafton 2 hours away from where this happened.
Beaver baffle installed along Hosford’s Highway on Mad River Path
“As the beavers continued to do what they do best — build dams to create ponds — water began to flood the boardwalk decking, making it impossible to pass by without getting wet feet. While this is certainly an inconvenience for the Mad River Path and everyone who uses the boardwalk, the benefits that beavers provide to the natural world and humans are too great to ignore: new habitat for brook trout, wood ducks, turtles, frogs and many more critters, reduced flooding downstream, trapped nutrients in sediments that would otherwise harm fish in the Mad River and contribute to Lake Champlain’s algae blooms and more water sent into the ground for our drinking water, just to name a few,” explained Mad River Path executive director Ross Saxton.
After trying to keep the water down through creating dam breaches, almost every day the beavers would immediately repair, Mad River Path and the landowner Lawson’s Finest partnered with the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife to install a beaver baffle. Also called a beaver deceiver, a baffle allows water to drain via a hidden culvert through the dam where the upper end is caged and underwater so the beavers are befuddled to how the water is draining. The beaver baffle helps to keep the pond at a consistent level that in this case is ideally below the boardwalk decking. The water level is also intentionally left high enough so that the beavers can safely travel below the water to their food sources; thick ice during the winter is taken into account. It’s a balance to co-exist that’s very doable and worth the little bit of effort, Saxton said.
Hurray?
We are SO HAPPY that Vermont fish and wildlife installed a flow device rather than trap out the beavers. But what they installed is NOT a Beaver Deceiver. Any more than your scwinn is a mercedes. Or your single JJ shot is a dose of pfizer vaccine. A beaver deceiver is a trademark design invented by SKIP LISLE who lives across the street from you and whom you pretend does not exist.
But good luck with your baffle thing.
There was a great story about our Saskatoon friend, Mike Digout yesterday. He’s definitely making waves.
Saskatoon man gets look at secret life of beavers
When the pandemic forced Mike Digout to put life on pause, he found a new hobby swimming in the river.
The Saskatoon resident spotted a beaver on April 1, 2020 and decided to spend the evening following it home. He reckons he has now spent hundreds of evenings out by the river and a local pond, capturing the secret life of Saskatoon’s beavers.
“The more I watch them, the more I realize that they’re quite interesting. They have families. They have routines. And they’re fun-looking — their tails and their teeth. I just find them entertaining now,” Digout said.
Ahh Mike, We are all lucky you gave a year+ of your life to beavers. I agree it’s fun to watch a family over time and get to know their habits and foibles.
After more than a year of being photographed, they don’t seem to mind their new paparazzo.
“They do allow humans into their world, as long as they’re respectful. I don’t know if I have any special treatment,” Digout said.
Digout can often be found by the riverbank or a beaver pond near the Meewasin Trail when the sun begins to set, armed with a simple digital camera and overly large tripod.
Could anything better be said about any of us? Really? Don’t we all want to be found on a riverbank or a beaver pond in the end?
Oh and look who dropped by to visit the site of his thesis before his final orals? Zane Eddy who next Monday will be presenting his Thesis on the Martinez Beavers.
