Dear Johnnie: Can you tell me about the policy of handling the beavers in Oligarchy Ditch? I have loved watching the progress as they have built three dams in the ditch between North Shore Drive and Breakwater Drive. (Actually only two in that stretch, but one or two farther east). But they have taken several large trees down.
Is the ditch company glad to get the tree roots out of the ditch and they are waiting ’til spring to relocate the beavers? Is there a concern about flooding as the dams hold the water or is that also fine until spring? I love the open spaces, but I am also curious about how the city or the ditch company handles animals reclaiming their space. — Mary
Where to begin? Oligarchy ditch? Someone named it Oligarchy ditch? Does it contain members of the elite ruling class? Or is it waiting to receive them one by one like a mass grave? And a beaver advice column? Be still my heart! Just when I’m beginning to feel at loose ends I find a new calling! People could write in about beaver questions from all over the world. Move over Dear Abby! Auntie Castor wants to chat!
Tree roots are not the primary concern when it comes to beavers and irrigation canals. It’s the damming of the canals and bank erosion that are key problems, not to mention damage to trees and the loss of habitat those trees provide other animals.
That’s according to Bill Powell, customer service manager for the city’s Public Works & Natural Resources Department. The city, it turns out, is responsible for maintenance along the Oligarchy.
There is no policy in place for dealing with beavers in the city, but Powell informed me that the PWNR Department is preparing “a standardized procedure” for dealing with beavers, which should be “completed in a few weeks.”
Guess who needs a standardized procedure for dealing with beavers? I’m a little troubled by putting natural resources and public works under the same department, but since Sherri Tippie is about 45 minutes away I’m assuming they will be exposed to excellent advice. Estes Park (where they successfully saved Enos Mills great-great-great-great-great grandkits) is just up the road. So lets see them do the right thing.
“On the flip side,” Powell wrote, “the Forestry workgroup wraps those trees along the corridor that are targeted for preservation, (while) others are left unprotected and available to the beavers. The entire process is a balance between evaluating property damage and the intent of the ditch with living with and providing wildlife habitat.”
Excellent. In addition to having the best named Ditch in the world, Longmont also has very smart foresters!
Looks like Benicia State Parkhas beavers again. I’m not hearing any threat in this article, but we know the colony mysteriously diassapeared once so it would be good to keep an eye and ear out this time. The story of beavers at the park preceeds our Martinez beavers, but I’m enjoying the fantasy that at least one of the beavers in this colony is our disperser – all grown up and doing what mom and dad taught him or her!
The author spotted a freshly felled tree on the trail of the State Park. He appears surprised that folks weren’t more upset by the very natural action and writes,
Later I told the story of the tree killed by the beavers to Wolfram Alderson, executive director of the Benicia Tree Foundation. Here, I’m thinking, is someone who appreciates the value of trees, and wonder if he will object? Instead he smiles at me and says “Really, in Benicia?” We’ve all heard of the Martinez beavers, and the controversy they have engendered in our neighboring community. Benicia is not threatened by flooding the way Martinez is, so we can remain unconcerned about it.
Really?
For the record, the ‘proclaimed controversy’ consisted of a few powerful property owners, a handful of flood-fearing businesses and a council who wanted them dead, against EVERYONE ELSE. I guess that’s a ‘controversy’ in the same way that a single drop of food coloring turns a glass of water blue. Anyway it’s a fun article, which you should go read. And the next time Benicia needs beaver photos they should come to US! Sheesh!
Another mention comes from the Watershed Project in Richmond. I connected them years ago and somehow ended up receiving their newsletter. Look what’s in the latest issue.
Ana Weidenfeld’s brief article covers the basics. As beaver articles go it’s fairly luke warm but they do recommend coming to Martinez to see them for yourself, which is nice.
If you are in the mood to watch these fastidious and fun mammals at work, head into Martinez. The beavers are nocturnal, so make sure to bring your flashlight and go out in the early morning or late evening hours.
And a final note from Estes Park in Colorado, where you might remember a brave advocate wrote a letter to the editor about the irony of killing beavers to build a trail in the hometown of Enos Mills. It prompted my response, which apparently was printed.
Words from the past
Bill Melton raised the pointed question about what Enos Mills would say about removing a beaver dam to install a trail. The best way to answer that question is to go to the source. This is from his “In Beaver World,” which was written nearly a hundred years to go from his cabin in Estes Park.
“The dam is the largest and in many respects the most influential beaver work. Across a stream it is an inviting thorough fare for the folk of the wild. As soon as a dam is completed, it becomes a wilderness highway. It is used day and night. Across it go bears and lions. rabbits and wolves, mice and porcupines; chipmonks use it for a bridge, birds alight upon it, trout attempt to leap it and in the evening the deer cast their reflections with the willows in its quiet pond. Across it dash the pursuer and the pursued. Upon it take place battles and courtships. Often it is torn by hoof and claw. many a drama, romantic and picturesque, fierce and wild is staged upon the beaver dam. The Beaver dam gives new character to the landscape. It frequently alters the course of a stream and changes the topography. It introduces water into the scene. It nourishes new plant life. It brings new birds. It provides harbor and a home for fish throughout the changing seasons. It seizes sediment and soil from the rushing waters and it sends waters through subterranean ways to form and feed springs which give bloom to terraces below.”
p.74 Enos Mills In beaver World
Estes Park happens to be the home town of my hero, and I am from the home town of his hero. Enos Mills was the guest of John Muir here in Martinez in 1908. He well understood that an essential part of conservation work was done every night by the beaver. We would be happy to help you manage the pond in a way that takes care of your beavers.
Heidi Perryman, Ph.D. President and founder, Worth A Dam. martinezbeavers.org/wordpressMartinez, Calif.
Special thanks to Tom Gootz and the other members of the Trail and Beaver Pond committee for working with EVRPD and the contractor to attempt to find a solution, suitable to everyone, with regards to the beaver pond and dam on Fish Creek Road. It appears that the beaver will be the losers.
I better understand now that some citizens feel that the beaver cause damage to the community and should be relocated. But construction this fall, which the committee attempted to extend to next spring, is not the answer. The beaver will most likely abandon the site and be left to the plight of the winter for their future. Sad for the beaver and sad for the Estes Valley.
I was most pleased that Dr. Heidi Perryman of Martinez, Calif., read my “letter to the editor” of earlier this summer where I said, “What would Enos Mills do”? Dr. Perryman, who states that her hero is Mr. Mills, quoted from his book, “In Beaver World.” She also offered her company’s assistance (Worth A Dam) to manage the pond and take care of the beavers.
What’s the rush EVRPD? Why not contact Dr. Perryman and let the committee take another shot at helping to save the beaver? Enos Mills was a very wise man when it came to the ways of nature and man. Let’s take a moment to stop and reflect on his long ago comments that today are still very relevant to the future of our beloved Estes Park Valley.
Bill Melton Estes Park
Worth A Dam a company? Well, we do vacuum when we have the gang over to dinner to talk about beavers, that’s like “company” right? Honestly all the answers you need are on the website but if you can’t find the solution Sherri Tippie is about an hour away, so let her come show you how to protect your trails AND your beavers.
One of Estes Park’s tourist and local resident’s most outstanding attractions is the 6:30-8:00 P.M. nightly “show” put on by the Beaver at their dam sites on Fish Creek Road near Cheley Camp Road.
Now comes word that the Town Trustees, County Commissioners, EVRPD and Department of Wildlife (DOW) have given the okay to seek funds and build a bike/hike Trail along Fish Creek Road, which will intersect the Beaver dams. Why? As a frequent visitor to the area to watch the “show”, I see many people parking or stopping to watch, but never have I seen a biker or hiker in that area! So why now?
Estes Park has been labeled “Nature’s Wonderland”, thus it is unimaginable to me that the Officials entrusted with the sanctity of wildlife in the community appear to be supporting this action. These “community Beaver” need to be protected. They are an asset to Estes Park and the Proposed Trail will simply drive them away or worse. How would Enos Mills react to this Proposal?
The citizens of Estes Park need to contact their community leaders and the DOW and help put a stop to this Plan now, before it’s too late, if that’s not already the case.
Bill Melton, Estes Park Colorado
Ahh Bill, that might be my favorite letter to the editor, EVER. Estes Park is where Enos Mills lived and wrote his famous “In Beaver World”! Of course I wrote back that Bill was from the home town of MY hero and as it happened I was from the home town of HIS hero, so we obviously had alot in common. For the record. Here’s what Enos Mills had to say about beaver dams.
The dam is the largest and in many respects the most influential beaver work. Across a stream it is an inviting thorough fare for the folk of the wild. As soon as a dam is completed, it becomes a wilderness highway. It is used day and night. Across it go bears and lions. rabbits and wolves, mice and porcupines; chipmonks use it for a bridge, birds alight upon it, trout attempt to leap it and in the evening the deer cast their reflections with the willows in its quiet pond. Across it dash the pursuer and the pursued. Upon it take place battles and courtships. Often it is torn by hoof and claw. many a drama, romantic and picturesque, fierce and wild is staged upon the beaver dam.
The Beaver dam gives new character to the landscape. It frequently alters the course of a stream and changes the topography. It introduces water into the scene. It nourishes new plant life. It brings new birds. It provides harbor and a home for fish throughout the changing seasons. It seizes sediment and soil from the rushing waters and it sends waters through subterranean ways to form and feed springs which give bloom to terraces below.
p.74 Enos Mills In beaver World
And here’s a reminder of Mills trip to Martinez as Muir’s guest 1908, five years before the publication of his book.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is called destiny (and history, even though its not on a mural or anything….) YET.
