This report ran on Colorado NPR just after my birthday but last night it was played again to a national audience on All things Considered. I’m especially happy because the reporter swapped out the negative Joe Wheaton soundbyte for a more informative one, leaving a better overall message. Good work, Emily.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Last year Colorado saw the two largest wildfires in it’s history, destroying hundreds of homes and 600 square miles of forest. Largely unbothered, though, are beavers, whose wet habitats offer refuge. It can take decades for landscapes burned by wildfires to recover. Colorado had its two largest fires ever last year. Those fires left more than 600 square miles of ashy soil and charred trees. But there are spots that were largely spared thanks to one animal. Alex Hager from member station KUNC has this report on what researchers are learning about fire resistance from beavers.
Nice. So here’s the mundane reason why this matters. If you’re a plucky new affiliate reporter that gets your story to run on NATIONAL All things considered you think, HEY, that was cool. Maybe beavers are hot news. Maybe I should report on them again so my mom hears my name on the radio.
Lets hope it catches on.
Another beaver made a famed appearance in Detroit last night, I thought you’d find it amusing.
Beaver goes for a stroll along Detroit’s RiverWalk
The Detroit RiverWalk’s swoon-worthy views are open to all — beavers included.
A popular destination for families, friends and couples wanting to go on a relaxing walk, the RiverWalk was graced with a special guest Friday. The beaver, spotted in the Cullen Plaza area, is part of a family that lives in a nearby state park, according to Marc Pasco, director of communications for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
“(It) has been spotted before in and around the state park,” Pasco said in a message. “That’s where he/she lives. There was no reason to involve the DNR or animal control. He/she was just going about her business and heading home.”
Come to think of it I’ve never seen a beaver carousel. I’ve seen horses and tigers and even an colorful ostrich but none of the decorative mounts are ever made to look like a beaver. Fix that okay?
