Folks liked seeing Tim’s mural yesterday, the post got 2 comments and something like 80 likes on FB. Public art does things like that. It seeps into your experience and brightens your day without permission. That’s an extra reason to have beaver public art around.
This morning there are a cluster of stories to take care of. I particularly like this one, since its so close to being excellent.
900-acre preserve focuses on environmental education
Covering 900 acres north of Warrenton, The Clifton Institute focuses on environmental education, ecological research and restoration for native plants and animals.
Grants and donations fund the non-profit’s annual budget of approximately $250,000.
Mr. Harris, an ecology expert, and his wife Eleanor, the managing director and a biology expert, started six months ago at The Clifton Institute. They hope to offer more educational programs and intern research opportunities in the coming years.
“There’s incredible diversity in our own backyards and people don’t realize. Just by showing people what we have here, I think they are going to want to have a lighter hand.
“People protect what they understand and love,” President Doug Larson said. “I think if you gain an appreciation for the natural world you are more inclined to protect and respect it.” and in how they manage their own property,” Mr. Harris said.
So far so good! I love the idea of kids in Virginia getting a chance to explore the outdoors. And he’s right. Children will grow up to be adults that protect what they learned to love along the way. Where’s the problem, Heidi?
The property off Blantyre Road near Airlie features a beaver damn, several bodies of water, fields and about 10 miles of maintained trails.
Good lord. Maybe that’s just how they feel about beavers in Virginia?
Time for another fine review of Ben’s book, this one from the Addison County Independent in Vermont by Becky Dayton.
Book review: Eager: The surprising secret life of beavers and why they matter — by Ben Goldfarb
As an environmental journalist covering wildlife management and conservation biology, Ben Goldfarb has written extensively about birds, bears, fish, and more for periodicals such as Mother Jones, Science and Orion, but it was beavers, of all critters, that inspired him to write a book.
And what a book it is! While fantastically well researched, “Eager” rarely — if ever — gets bogged down by its own comprehensive heft. This is a function of Goldfarb’s genuine enthusiasm for his subject, his healthy appreciation for the humor inherent in smelly, buck-toothed rodents, and his entertaining way with words.
“Eager” is, above all else, fun to read. The opportunity it presents to learn almost everything there is to know about these surprisingly bright, if maddening, rodents is almost secondary to the pleasure of consuming Goldfarb’s lively, storyteller’s prose. But learn you will — about the rich natural and cultural history of Castor canadensis. Goldfarb leaves no stone 
unturned in his investigation, visiting 12 US states and the UK to interview and “go into the field,” i.e., wade into the pond, with everyone from wildlife management biologists to civilian enthusiasts of various stripes, the whole range of “Beaver Believers.” The takeaway — that, contrary to popular opinion, beavers and humans can live harmoniously — is practically a foregone conclusion; it’s the getting there in Goldfarb’s company that makes it entirely worth your time.
What a lively review Becky! Thank you so much for putting your enthusiasm into words for us. That was exactly how I felt reading this book! I hate to ask but do you have a sister or something that lives in Massachusetts? We need your brignt energy proclaiming the book out that way.
Lastly there’s an update from our friend Tom Pelletier at Ask A Naturalist. You might remember a while back I noted that someone had asked a question about swimming with beavers and he wrote back a long detailed description of the risks of giardiasis. I sent him my thoughts and right before the festival he wrote and invited me to provide an update on the post.
Here’s what it says now:
Can I swim with beavers?
Additional commentary from Heidi Perryman of martinezbeavers.org/wordpress: If the question is “Can beaver ponds carry disease?” the answer is yes, and so can any other body of water you might feel like swimming in. If you’re asking “Do beaver ponds cause beaver fever?” the answer is also sometimes. Beavers can pass on giardiasis just like deer, muskrat or even humans. They are not, however, more likely to carry it. One researcher even remarked that in other countries there is no association with beavers and giardiasis because in other languages the words “beaver” and “fever” don’t happen to rhyme!
From the beaver’s point of view the answer to the question “Can I swim with beavers?” is: please don’t. Beavers would rather not have you around while they’re working and would definitely rather not have your dog around. This is especially true in the summer months when there are young beavers to protect. Every year I read at least one story about someone whose pet was attacked by a beaver in June or July. Remember, any animal that can chop down a tree with its teeth can do harm to your dog. (Rosell, F. Rosef, 0 & Parker H ) 2001. Investigations of Waterborne Pathogens in Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) Acta vet. scand. 2001, 42, 479-482.)
Well that sprinkled in a little education! Thanks Tom for letting me add my caveats. Hopefully more folks at least will think twice about letting their dog swim in a beaver pond in summer!
