“THAT staff be directed to develop a Beaver Management Plan that promotes coexistence, outlines best management practices, and implements strategies that use alternatives to extermination and/or relocatiwherever possible as recommended in the report dated January 11, 2018 from Councillor Meghan Lahti regarding Beaver Management Plan.”
The city of Port Moody continues to amaze. After endless hours of struggle and a terrible stupid loss caused by many sneaky decisions, last night one of the council members put forward a beaver management motion that stressed coexistence and it was unanimously approved. Judy wrote me this morning with delight. The mayor even thanks Judy her and her husband personally at the end of the comments. You probably want to watch this video.
Councillor Meghan Lahti’s motion passed unanimously at tonight’s city council meeting!! Every councillor spoke in favour and Councillor Zoe Royer thanked us for “holding our feet to the fire”. Some things take “endless pressure, endlessly applied”. I love that quote now. The motion is, for me, a legacy for the kit we lost.
Judy Taylor-Atkinson
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Congratulations Judy and all of the people who made this happen!
As I listen to the council saying how much this process taught them about beavers, I hear echoes of our own council lo these many years ago – (although nicer of course, they’re Canadian, after all!). Our reformed city leaders all claimed to have learned so much about beavers. And acted like they listened and learned from the community. (Hrmph!) All Kum-by-yahs aside, I remember writing here once in frustration while our city was cheerfully patting themselves on the back for doing the right thing one of the very favorite sentences I have ever composed:
“Never mind that there are deep claw marks down the length of Castro street where we had to drag them kicking and screaming every beaver dam inch of the way.“
Ahh memories! The important thing was that they got there eventually (or at least were forced to behave as if they had) but it took way more hard work than I ever dreamed possible. Endless pressure indeed!
Enjoy your success Judy and Jim! We are thrilled at what you’ve achieved and your beavers are so lucky to have you!
