Plots and Plans

heidi08 Beaver News, Festival, Friends of Martinez Beavers July 17, 2009

It’s full steam ahead for the Beaver Festival, and things are impressively taking shape. We have 17 nonprofit displays participating, two remarkable retail additions, two art projects, four Worth A Dam event areas, and four musical groups lined up.

National Park Service	Green Sols Water
Naval weapons Open Space	Wild Bryde Jewelry
Native Birds	Beaver Book Signing
CCC Clean water program
LINDSAY MUSEUM	WAD Membership
P.L.A.N. (Badgers petaluma)	WAD Silent Auction
TEAMS in Training	Beaver Information
Open Space Bird & Bee Boxes	Beaver Tours
Friends of Alhambra Creek	Beaver Art Tiles
California Native Plant Society	Beaver tail bookmarks
Elle Falahat
West County Toxics Coalition	Alhambra Valley Band
Parents for a safer environment	Jeff Campbell Bag Piper
Noah’s Wish Foundation	Teachers of the Year
Bay Area Ridge Trail SF	Muir Station Jazz Band
Phillip Ciaramataro

It’s a piece of work, I can tell you. Herding cats indeed. Remind me not to be a wedding planner.

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8]

I heard a rumor today that the beavers were named East Bay Animal Family of the Year, so I went looking.

BEST URBAN WILDLIFE PHENOMENON (2008 AND 2009)

The Beaver Family in Alhambra Creek

Escobar St. between Estudillo and Castro Streets, Martinez

Forget New York’s rats and the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill. Martinez has beavers running in the streets. Almost literally. In the seat of Contra Costa County, government employees, drunk-tank refugees, disgruntled jurors, and old-time “Martizians” wander the downtown streets by day. Although businesses are mostly shuttered after 5 p.m., it’s only then you can catch a glimpse of the beaver family that’s made its home in Alhambra Creek, which runs through the center of the town where Joe DiMaggio was born. When the city council announced it would be killing the beavers to help alleviate a preexisting flood threat their dam made worse, a candlelight vigil was held on the behalf of the beloved semiaquatic rodents, and amnesty was their reward. The city has now sunk hundreds of thousands of dollars into beaver-related maintenance, and the beaver brood is, somewhat laughably, Martinez’s main tourist attraction. The family has a dedicated blog, advocacy group, Wikipedia page, and many YouTube videos. Catch a glimpse of the playful nocturnal critters in person at dusk, when they leave their lodge and splash about in the creek.

If Wishes Were Horses

heidi08 Festival July 6, 2009

As we near approach the beaver festival, I thought it would be worth mentioning our wish-list (not Wishpoosh list) and seeing what help might be out there. I have learned from experience that beaver supporters are connected to all kinds of jobs: county workers, garbage collector’s, elementary teachers, refinery workers, sheriffs and food service….you name it and there is probably a beaver supporter somewhere in it. So I am going to mention the things we need and hopefully you can find a way to help.

This year we will hold a silent auction at the festival. Our two biggest ticket items will be a trip for two to Safari West and dinner for two at Chez Pannise, but we need all kinds of items at all kinds of values. I have taken to imploring donations from my favorite coffee shop, restaurant, hardware store or hair stylist. Maybe you can you too? If there is a place where you’re a regular, where you’re known and appreciated, where maybe you’ve even been good naturedly teased about those “beavers”, maybe you could mention the festival and ask for a donated item to the silent auction? Such a gift is good advertising, will be seen by the community, will increase their profile, and help a good cause. Do you have a special skill, like woodwork or knitting? Maybe you could donate something you made, or donate a coupon for two hours of your time to teach someone else what you know? A Gift card from aunt Martha you’ve never used or an apron you’ll never wear? Consider donating it to the auction.

Anything you are able to contribute would be helpful. Donated items should be organized no later than July 25 so we can make sure they’re included and ready for the auction.

If giving is out of the question, maybe you would be willing to loan something? We need banquet tables and awnings for our displays. Let us know if you have any to spare and make sure they’re clearly marked so we can keep track of them. We could use a helpful pick-up truck owner to assist in transporting them as well. Maybe you could do a few delivery runs on the day? We need people to help set up and people to help take down. We could use some bold town criers to walk the main street peddlers fair and hand out fliers to tell them to stop by. We need girl or boy scouts selling cookies or sea scouts selling sodas. Maybe you can help organize children for the procession? Or help out for a few hours at either of the art projects? Maybe you’re a whiz with math and organization and can help out Linda at the membership table?

In the longer term Cheryl wants me to remind you that we still need help from a graphic artist to do a beaver illustration that we can use for a flag and sign. We always need help with the webpage, and love regulars to help out docenting and explaining things down by the dam. Access to a kiln? Maybe you can help us low fire the children’s art tiles. Maybe you are good at installing them and can help us once we wrangle permission out of the city. Maybe you’re an amateur videographer and can take footage of the day and pass it along to us to be edited or added to the website.

Of course, on the day itself, we need you and your grandma and your nephew to come join us to make a grand event. Bring your neighbors grandchildren and your camera. I can promise you it will be the very best beaver festival you’ve ever attended!

If you’d like to help, drop me an email at mtzbeavers@gmail.com. We’ll set up the particulars.

Kat Hearts Beavers

heidi08 Environmental, Festival, Friends of Martinez Beavers June 22, 2009

Back when artist Kat Mulkey’s SOS woodpecker picture appeared in Gary Bogue’s column about the plight of the Rossmoor birds, I dropped her a note to thank her for her work and suggest she visit the Martinez Beavers. Maybe she’d be inspired? Kat came one evening in the spring and was met by myself and beaver regular LB for the full tour. She was treated to an excellent beaver viewing as our yearlings wrestled in the water and paddled about. I could tell her interest had been awakened but couldn’t yet tell what might come of it.

This morning I see in Gary Bogue’s website that she has been hard at work. I love the piece, fantastic noses, small eyes and especially the paddling webbed foot under the water. (This was one of the surprises she remarked on as we sat on the bank). As always Gary, thanks for your kind attention to us, and Kat thanks for letting our beavers inspire you. Hey, maybe you’d like to come to the beaver festival? Display your work and let your skills be seen? Or possibly consider donating this work for the silent auction and making some beaver fan happy for years to come?

Just askin’….

Beaver Media Buzz…

heidi08 Beaver News August 1, 2008

In case you missed our sudden flurry of activity, check out this report from Dave Padilla or this report from CBS 5 or this from SF Gate. How about today’s KGO report? Our media Princess Linda Meza has been working non-stop spreading the good news and councilman Mark Ross has helped funnel interest our way. This morning a little bird told us that abc is looking to film our four newbies Saturday, the CC times called to check in on the event, and when we stopped at Amtrak to ask for help spreading the word, the gruff conductor smiled under his mustache and barked, “eh, we were warned about You!”

Yours truly designed the flyer, our treasurer Donna Mahoney printed that flyer, Financial title donated the Paper for the Flyer, and we had great help from Wild Birds distributing it to every customer for the past two weeks.

Off to cut out tail shapes for Saturday’s contest…

(200 tail shapes later…)

This morning we can add the gazette and the CC times to our media friends, as well as KTVU.

Mason and the Keystone Species

heidi08 Beaver News, Beavers or Social Ambasadors July 30, 2008

Andrew Mason is a local musician that is passionate about music that makes a difference. His bio says he has been influenced by musicians like Woody Guthry and Bob Dylan, and the connection is easy to see. This is a young man who uses his art to express concern for what he cares about, check out his song of our well known Alhambra Way. Mason has been seen performing around the Bay Area and beyond. He’s a familiar performer at the Hotel Utah in SF, and Freight and Salvage in Berkeley.

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=aucmipm9aBE]

Enter the Martinez Beavers: Andy was inspired to follow the story back when they were up for execution. His familiar “don’t kill them beavers” appeared on CBS and others stations, and even made it into the recent Fox news clip. His voice was one of those that made people stop and think there were things here worth keeping.

One of the amazing things about that dynamic period of time is that people took dramatic steps independently to advocate for these beavers. There was no Worth A Dam and no webpage to organize anyone, people just acted on their own behalf. At the time I said it was like a “beehive” but I think now it was more like a “Beaver Colony”. No one was in charge, everyone did the work they were suited to, and it all came together without much planning or oversight. I’m grateful everyday for the people involved in that movement that I will never see or meet again. And I’m grateful for those that stuck around and became my friends.

I’m betting Andy will be in the second group. His CD, “Songs from Town”, is available now from Itunes. Why not check out his webpage or become a friend on his Myspace so we make him feel welcome!