Guess who got published?

heidi08 Beavers, Creative Solutions, Massachusetts Trapping Law November 26, 2013

So sometimes I open my eyes and email and I have no idea what beaver misfortune I will be writing about that day. And sometimes my inbox has a present all shiny with a red bow on top just for me. This morning it was a ‘good job’ email from John Hadidian, the senior scientist at the Humane Society, who had just read through his new issue of Human-Wildlife Interaction and seen my commentary. Gallant man that he is, he offered to scan it for me since it will be a while before its published online. Now it is followed by the two page whining rebuttal of the researchers I challenged but we’ll talk about that later. Today let’s just enjoy ourselves, shall we?

Consider this entire article a warning shot across the beaver-trapping bow and a irresistible recommendation for humane beaver management everywhere! (10 year old data, sheesh!) Honestly, what I personally am proudest of about this article is that it actually uses my education instead of dragging it shamefully along behind like the tin cans tied to a ‘just graduated’ car.

Non-respondent bias? Oh snap! I never thought I’d be able to use those words again after graduate school. Now I want to say it all the time! And thank the hard work research and design stats teacher who got the concept through my thick head. I actually hated hated hated math, and (shh) never did the homework. But I loved statistics and calculated every single formula by hand. Don’t ask me why. It made perfect sense to my way of thinking, where as many people (including my brilliant husband) loved math and failed miserably at statistics. Go figure. I know by now you’re probably thinking ‘doesn’t this woman EVER talk about anything besides herself? So this is the part about you.

Yes, the heroic actions of town-ful of adults and children is what forced Martinez back to the drawing table and allowed Skip Lisle to be hired in the first place. When the people lead, the leaders will follow. (Except Janet Kennedy of course, but she’s gone.) There were so many young people who grew up with this story. I just got a call this weekend from a freshman at UCSC who was a middle schooler when the story started and wanted to write a paper on how the Martinez beavers improved our creek.

Cue the rousing anthem and the unfurling flag in the background! I just got goosebumps! Let me say that I truly believe only a hybrid psychologist-beaver advocate could have written this entire article in four tight paragraphs. I know I mostly coast along with insulting the hygiene and IQ of folks who kill beavers much of the time, but I’m really proud of this. Let’s all remember:

I pledge allegiance to the streams,

and the beaver ponds of America.

And to the renewal for which they stand

One river, underground, irreplaceable,

With habitat and wetlands for all.

Good News from Unexpected Places

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere April 21, 2011

“Beaver Troubles?”

Scouring through the latest beaver trapping articles, I came across this ominously named specimen from Ontario’s Frontenac EMC. Given the title and a few of the tag lines I wasn’t expecting such a beaver friendly article. What a nice surprise.

Although there are short-term issues associated with local beavers, their long-term contributions to the environment make them a worth-while neighbour when managed effectively. The beaver is an ingenious ecosystem engineer that shapes the unique rural environment that Canadians take pride in, and its ability to beneficially modify its ecosystem renders this species one of the largest contributors to Canada’s aquatic environments. In addition, beavers ensure productive ecosystem functioning, which creates and upholds the natural beauty and species diversity of southern Ontario. This species ensures the integrity of aquatic habitats through the enhanced growth of aquatic vegetation, which prevents erosion and acts as a buffer in the face of contamination, restoring pristine conditions. Beaver damming also shapes the species diversity in the surrounding area by providing ideal habitats for a variety of charismatic bird, mammal and fish species. Not only are these animals captivating, but they also provide recreation for birdwatchers, fishers and hunters alike.

That’s a great paragraph! It goes on to mention tools like the beaver baffler and the Clemson pond leveler as a means to humanely manage pond height, I posted information about more modern techniques and will send it to the authors as well. (The danger being that if people try outdated methods they run a greater risk of them not working, and the inevitably of trapping looms that much closer.) The general idea that beavers are good for Canada’s wetlands and that their challenges can be humanely managed is a great one. I wish there were so many of these that our “who’s killing beaver now” dance card was impossible to fill. Sigh.

Frontenac even had the good sense to post a photo of an actual beaver, unlike the nutria and woodchuck images I’m getting sick of seeing. Good job.

The Future of Beavers

heidi08 Creative Solutions December 29, 2009

So yesterday I had a chance to meet with new beaver-friend Brock Dolman and walk him around the dams. He had fascinating questions and things to say about the flora and fauna in the area. One thing that has him particularly motivated at the moment is the reintroduction project for beavers in the Russian River Area. He would like to work with the salmon people to spread the news about beavers helping salmon, and use that as a foothold to get them viewed in a different way. Potential rather than Pest.

He obviously didn’t have to do much convincing with me!

Still, I wanted to make sure to show him the flow device and talk about its value, because after three years of following these stories, it is clear to me that the future of beavers is inextricably tied to the future of flow devices and culvert fences. People are going to complain and worry about water height. They are going to get upset about road flooding. Even if the salmon personally swam onto their doorstep, there will be no way to convince them to keep beavers without some proven management tools. The techniques may be out there, but having someone knowledgeable implement them makes the difference between a device that works and pays for itself many times over, and a failed installation that allows beaver-foes to say pedantically “those things never work”. (See Mary Tappel and the Entire Department of CA Fish & Game!)

So where are the professional installers? Well first and foremost is Skip Lisle of Vermont. He is the inventor of the “beaver deceiver” and learned his trade back with the Penobscot Nation where he discovered that beavers dislike trapezoidal shapes and won’t build dams against fences in that shape. Skip travels around the country and around the world doing installs, and training. He installed our successful flow device which will be 2 years old on Saturday.

In the late 90’s, Mike and Ruth Callahan attended a Humane Society workshop on beavers and formed the Pioneer Valley Wetland Volunteers. Mike trained with Skip Lisle and learned the ropes, gradually building a great demand for his skills around the State of Massachusetts. Eventually he quit the day job and started the business of Beaver Solutions. Mike Feels strongly that the best way to increase the beaver population is to teach more people about successful beaver management. He received an AWI grant last year to do just that. His DVD will be launched in the Spring.

Jake Jacobsen is the watershed steward for Stillaquamish county in Washington State. He teaches local property owners in his jurisdiction the ins and outs of beaver management. He also works with several non-profits around the area to teach the installation of flow devices and culvert blockers. In his spare time (?) Jake manages his own, international nonprofit, dedicated to protecting watersheds. Meanwhile, the savvy Washington state also boasts The Lands Council, with not one but two Vista Corp trainees learning the skills of beaver management. They are responsible for the Beaver solution video, and boast the very best beaver site on the web. (sniff)

Mary O’Brien is the Utah Forests Manager for the Grand Canyon Trust. She was the powerhouse behind the “Working Beaver Conference” and a major force for beaver advocacy in Utah. Remember, Utah’s State Department of Wildlife is introducing a state wide beaver management program this year, so they know their flow devices.

Ned Bruha (AKA: The Skunk Whisperer) is a rockstar of wildlife rescue out in Oklahoma where he uses humane methods to manage all kinds of wildlife problems. Ned has been particularly interested in communicating with Worth A Dam about beavers, and we recently put him in touch with Mike Callahan to get some flow device pointers.

Sharon & Owen Brown, of Beavers Wetlands & Wildlife, are trustees of the beaver sanctuary bequeathed by famous advocate Dorothy Richards in New York State. They are connected to all the beaver developments around the nation and are a wealth of information about flow devices and their installation.

Sarah Summerville is the trustee of the Unexpected Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey, which is the inherited organization and lands of well know beaver advocate Hope Sawyer Buyukmihci. Sarah is a great beaver friend herself and has learned a thing or two about flow devices.

Last but certainly not least, Skip Hilliker is a former trapper and new found beaver management advocate in Connecticut. He is an employee of the Humane Society for that state, and spends the year doing beaver installations.

Okay, that should be a basic introduction. Here’s some footage to give you the idea.