Beavers and Columbia Spotted Frogs

Guess whose heroic work is keeping the Columbia Spotted frog off the endangered species list? This is the press release last week from Fish and Wildlife. I can’t wait until Obama presents beavers with the presidential medal of honor for their good fiscal work in saving our vulnerable species.

This is in part due to the great work by friend of this website, Dr. Robert Arkle, who’s paper was recently published in the Journal of Ecology and Evolution. Here’s my favorite part of the press release.

Beaver are also important for the creation of small pools with slow-moving water that function as habitat for frog reproduction as well as for creating wet meadows that provide foraging habitat and protective vegetation cover. Proactive Beaver management by the states involved will be important for the long-term survival of Columbia spotted frogs. Nevada, Oregon and Idaho all include the Columbia spotted frog on their list of protected species.

Did you get that? Stop killing beavers and the frogs have a chance. Consider this a federal memo.

Yesterday several Worth A Dam folk gathered to make sure the beavers still weren’t there, leading us to observe that the scraped area between the creek and the train station is full of water and beaver trails thru the grass. We will investigate further and keep you updated on the latest news about our MIA beavers.

I also had to have ONE LAST MOMENT of vacation before Monday rolled around. And here’s what I decided to play with. At the moment I’m crazy about the Beethoven in the background, and really appreciating my new toy. It’s only one minute long, I promise it won’t make you cry, so WATCH it and share with folks who need to see it.

At-Risk Columbia Spotted Frogs: Factors Influencing Conservation

USGS researchers, including scientist Robert Arkle, examined existing data on spotted frog occurrence, abundance and habitat to understand factors influencing habitat quality, habitat connectivity and climate suitability in the Great Basin. Preliminary results suggest that the area of the Great Basin with suitable climates for spotted frogs has already decreased over the past 100 years and will continue to decrease substantially over the next 100 years. Genetic research suggests connectivity between adjacent occupied sites is currently low, while sub-populations are isolated from one another.

USGS research suggests that management tools, such as beaver reintroduction, grazing management and non-native trout control efforts may promote conservation of the Columbia spotted frog in the Great Basin.

So NOAA, USFS, and USGS think beaver reintroduction is a good idea to increase habitat for threatened aquatic species. While USDA and CDFG merrily continue to kill them, ignoring the trickle down effect that eliminating each beaver dam will have on a rapidly drying planet. How long does it take for such simple wisdom to pass through government bureaucracy?

Let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be a columbia spotted frog.

Word this morning is that Utah is truly having another beaver festival, and they’re paying for me to come talk about our beavers in Martinez. It’s in Cedar City and I’ll tell you more details when I know them. The event is organized, of course, by the Mary Obrien and the Grand Canyon Trust where practically all good news about beavers originate. Considering Mary was the inspiring voice in the wilderness a million years ago when this all started, and now she wants me to come speak, I’m pretty honored.