HOW BEAVER FESTIVALS HAPPEN

It starts so small.

It always feels like getting the beaver festival to happen is like pulling up an ancient creaking sunken ship from the bottom of the ocean by only spider web threads. Impossible. Unlikely. Not going to happen. Not enough music, too many no’s on the silent auction front, missed deadlines and escaped exhibits, but then finally it starts, painfully, slowly to take shape. Just the beginnings, mind you. Just the barest hint of an outline in the fog.

Slowly it transforms from flatly “impossible” to “Potentially possible.”

I read once a quote from American author Mignon McLaughin.

“Even cowards can endure hardship, only the brave can endure suspense.”

Be brave.

THE BEAVER ARTWORK OF AMELIA HUNTER

heidi08 Beavers July 12, 2021

The first two beaver festivals we ever held I fashioned a kind of flyer for to announce. The third one we met an graphic art student at the dam, Libby Corliss who volunteered to help is. Then she went back to college and could no longer work for free. By the fourth one I learned from my time on the John Muir association about the fine work of Amelia Hunter and I had someone introduce us. She was local, loved animals and thought she could help out.. Amelia designed our brochures every year after that. Bringing her amazing talents to the 5th, the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th festival. I’m sure she would have done the 13th too but Covid interrupted us so she very kindly agreed to do the logo for the California Beaver Summit instead.

Yesterday I scanned through all the covers and put this together. That’s quite a [beaver] body of work isn’t it?

EMILY EDUCATES CALIFORNIA

heidi08 Beavers and climate change, Beavers and Fire Prevention, Beavers and water January 18, 2021

Happy last Trump-Monday! The very air hums with anticipation. Or maybe that’s the virus, just waiting for us to get on with it already. Today is a particularly good day to be thankful that there are still a few humans in Southern California that aren’t infected, and this one we are very very happy about.

UC California Online Naturalist Series

Dr. Emily Fairfax, Assistant Professor, California State University Channel Islands. Dr. Fairfax leads the BEAVS Research Group: Beavers, Ecohydrology, and Visual Storytelling.

Her current research focuses on the ecohydrology of riparian areas, particularly those that have been impacted by beaver damming. Dr. Fairfax uses a combination of remote sensing, modeling, and field to work understand how beaver damming changes these landscapes and on what timescales those changes operate. In addition to learning about beavers and Dr. Fairfax’s research, participants in this CONES will have an opportunity to practice finding signs of beaver in both on ground photos and in satellite images.

So Emily”s online course goes active tomorrow at noon, and she teaches naturalists across California why beavers matter. If you want to register you can still sign up here:

CONES January 19: Beavers and Healthy Ecosystems

Jan 19, 2021 12:00 PM in Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Here’s something else to look forward to as we remember what can help California make its way in a drying world.

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Our much beloved festival artist Amelia Hunter sent her rough sketch of what she’s thinking of for the summit logo. I’m practically panting in anticipation.

FESTIVAL XII IS ON ITS WAY!

heidi08 Beaver Art February 22, 2019

Because the beaver isn't just an animal; it's an ecosystem!

Tag: Amelia Hunter