Homecomings

heidi08 Beaver Art, Beaver Behavior, Friends of Martinez Beavers, Who's saving beavers now? August 16, 2017

Another beaver extravaganza combining the Beaver tails art exhibit, a beaver tour, and movie night all courtesy of the Nehalem watershed conservancy.

Beaver Tales: on the land and the big screen

NEHALEM — To celebrate beavers and their contribution to the ecology of the North Coast, Lower Nehalem Watershed Council, The Wetlands Conservancy and community partners are hosting the Beaver Tales Art Exhibit and accompanying events in August.

Beaver Trail tour

The watershed council and community partners will lead participants on a tour of beaver habitat sites throughout the Nehalem Watershed 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19.

The tour will stop at two to four locations where participants will see different examples of active and historical beaver activity. Alix Lee, coordinator for the watershed council will lead the tour and provide narrative on beaver ecology, history and importance for maintaining healthy ecosystems on the North Coast.

Transportation between sites will be provided and has been funded by Tillamook People’s Utility District.

This event is part of Explore Nature, a consortium of volunteer community and non-profit organizations working to provide meaningful, nature-based experiences in Tillamook County.

Movie night: ‘Leave it to Beavers’

Join the watershed council at Alder Creek Farm 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, for movie night in the barn featuring the PBS documentary “Leave it to Beavers.”

The hour-long documentary examines beavers in a new light, revealing ways in which “the presence of the industrious rodents can transform and revive landscapes,” organizers wrote. “Bring a comfy camp chair and settle in to learn about these fascinating builders and brilliant hydro-engineers.”

Sometimes my jaw literally drops and hangs open to see how many good things come can come together with the right collection of people pulling the strings. Hats OFF to the wonders of this Beaver Tails exhibit, which has been like a band of firecrackers going off at regular intervals for nearly a year now. The Wetlands Conservancy really created something astounding when they undertook this massive art show. You know it got folks around the state talking and thinking about beavers in a new way.

An speaking of beavers and wetlands, here’s something to celebrate. Our own watershed wizard Igor Skaredoff gave the Stanislaus rescue crews something to do this sunday and after a misplaced night was very politely found the following morning. Igor has all the skills and insights of a lifetime of mountain climbing, so I can’t think of anyone more suited to the task. He was also the first member of the beaver subcommittee to see that I might actually be saying something worth listening to so, God bless him. And hurray for safe homecomings!

Remember the Neal Maine!

heidi08 Beaver Art, Beaver Behavior, Friends of Martinez Beavers, Who's saving beavers now? May 27, 2017

Meanwhile in Oregon, they had another beaver event Thursday Night based on the Beaver Tales Art show. They have been slowly drawing such important folks out of the woodwork to talk about beaver benefits. Thursday it was the turn of retired biology teacher turned wildlife photographer Neil Maine.

NEAL MAINE, SCIENTIST AND WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER TO PRESENT A LECTURE ON BEAVER ECOLOGY MAY 25TH 7-8PM

To celebrate beavers and their contribution to the ecology of the North Coast, the nonprofit organizations have teamed up with local businesses to host the Beaver Tales Art Exhibit and Sale in Seaside. The purpose of the exhibit is to highlight the importance of beavers in creating wetlands and other aquatic habitat.

Neal Maine will explain how beavers engineer wetlands on the North Coast, and how people can learn to take advantage of their environmental benefits while protecting property from flooding and other damage. Maine’s vast experience in studying and photographing wildlife enables him to tell fascinating stories about these industrious little rodents that most people never se

*This is probably a relative of the beavers currently working Stanley Marsh; Neal Maine caught this beaver in action at Thompson Creek a couple of years ago.*

Here I was thinking what a negligent lapse it was that I didn’t already know who Neil Maine was until I saw I had already written about him way back in 2015 when the North Coast Land Conservancy used this photo for their great restoration project letting beavers do the restoration at Stanley Marsh.

(And just in case you’re wondering yes, that actually looks like a muskrat to me too.)

Anyway Neil has definitely photographed real beavers as well, and I’m sure he had an awesome presentation that evening. The articles I saw offered a couple amazing photos of his that were definitely not muskrat-y. The art show Beaver Tales has really put together a fantastic beaver ad-campaign whose benefits will be felt for years. Kudos to the Wetland Conservancy and the North Coast Land Trust for pulling it off.

When you think of it, it’s pretty darned generous of beavers to groom every day just so that we get a nice chance to photograph them.

The Art of Beavers

heidi08 Beaver Anatomy, Beaver Art, Beaver Behavior, Beaver-themed merchandise April 30, 2017

I think this might be your last chance to see the Beaver Tales Exhibit in Oregon. It opens in Seaside next weekend and has been making a very big impression. This site has a wonderful slide show of every artist and since I can’t share it you really should go look for yourself. But come right back, because there’s lots to talk about.

The art of BEAVER TALES, Seaside sale and exhibition, opening May 6th, 2017.

The traveling exhibit includes artwork of al kinds, from paintings to fiber, wood, stone, glass and ceramics. With regional and local artists displaying their work, this stop in Seaside will bring together a multitude of styles and creativity.

Along with the month-long display, there will be workshops, tours, and other activities around Seaside. The exhibit will feature juried art for purchase, benefitting the three nonprofit sponsoring organizations listed above.

The goal of the exhibition is to recognize the aesthetic and ecological significance our state animal plays in the creation and maintenance of wetland habitats. Beavers, though woefully misunderstood, actually create and sustain wetlands that aid in resuscitating wetland and riparian stream habitats. They play a central role in shaping our future as we prepare for transformations that a warming and changing climate may bring. The sponsoring organizations are working together to learn more about how we can work with beaver to conserve and restore natural systems.

Seeing the slide show makes me want to take a field trip myself. Seaside Oregon is just 681 miles from Martinez, I think we could manage. I want to stand outside with a big bag and tell everyone if their art didn’t sell it should come to Martinez where it certainly will. At least I’ve been assured that we’re getting one of the items donated to the silent auction, a hand saw beautifully showing a beaver chopping a tree by Jen Richmond.

In the meantime, we have some fine art of our own to share on this pleasant sunday. These pewter beaver pendants were donated by Steve Blom of Boise Idaho from his wonderful shop Treasure Cast on etsy. Both are delightfully detailed and have a lovely weighted feel to them. One is a necklace and the other is a broach, but they’re both lovely. Thanks Steve! If you can’t wait visit his shop and find a lovely creation of your own.

Local artist and hard working beaver friend Erika Goldstein sent this yesterday that she created in her ceramic studios. Something tells me this is going to be snapped up quickly. I especially like the tail.

Meanwhile local artist Amelia Hunter has been slaving away on our 10th beaver festival design. This is what she has so far, but she’s still adding more color, I’m not crazy about the font and she’s thinking about swapping out the bottom text for our traditional ribbon. I love the bridge and the sense of place it communicates. It’s truly a wonderful first edition. Doesn’t this make you want to come to the festival?

Beaver Show and Tail

heidi08 Beaver Art, Beaver Behavior, Beaver Conference, Beavers, Beavers and Forests, Beavers and Frogs, Beavers and Ice, Beavers and Insects, Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout, Beavers and water, Beavers or Social Ambasadors, City Reports, Creative Solutions, Who's saving beavers now? February 2, 2017

There is too much beaver news this morning. I feel like I’m struggling under a pile of important papers trying to get out. I will use the calendar as my only excavation tool, and start with what’s happening first. The other things can wait. Except for the serious cause for mocking, which obviously cannot be ignored.

Beaver Tales Art Exhibit: A Celebration of Beaver Art

2017 Beaver Tales Art Exhibit and Sale

The Wetlands Conservancy and partners invite you to see nearly 100 artists at six different venues throughout 2017. These shows will highlight the Beaver, our natural ally in conserving Oregon’s wetlands and restoring natural systems.

Beavers, though woefully misunderstood actually create and sustain wetlands that aid in resuscitating our riparian stream habitats. They play a central role in shaping our future as we prepare for the transformations that a warming and changing climate may bring. The Wetlands Conservancy is launching a statewide beaver conservation vision. Our goal is to learn more about how we can work with beaver to conserve and restore natural systems.

Join us on the dates and at the venues shown below to celebrate the beaver and understand the role and benefits wetlands play in Oregon and your community.

The show kicks off with a reading by Frances Backhouse of her great book, “Once they were hats” and then starts the exhibit with a month long display at Oregon State University before beginning a tour around the state. It is organized by the good folks who had me speak last year at their Wetlands event in Portland. I tried introducing the organizer (Sara Vickerman) to our beaver artist heroine with the Gallery in Concord (FRO Butler) but transportation was too difficult to figure out.

I do know there is one important kind of artwork that will be sorely absent in this show. Dam foolish oversight if you ask me.

From the sublime to the ridiculous. Here’s a grandpa in North Carolina who wonders if beavers are safe to be around children. No, seriously. Press the arrow at the bottom right to view larger.

Beaver invasion has Greensboro neighbors concerned

GREENSBORO, N.C. — When Steve Brown heard that beavers were living in a nearby creek, he couldn’t wait to show his grandkids.

“Beavers had come into the creek by the children’s playground and had built two dams. My first thought was that’s cool I’ll go and check it out and watch them,” Brown said. Then he had second thoughts.

“I got to thinking, it’s right next to the playground. Are beavers safe? Are they dangerous, especially around kids?”

An old snark like me would be tempted to say that his problem happened when he “started thinking“. Some people just shouldn’t be allowed to do that. But I will just post this instead so folks can see for themselves how dangerous beavers are around children.