Tag: Michael Callahan

Beaver Good News!

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Creative Solutions, Educational, Environmental, Who's saving beavers now? November 29, 2016

The rule is, if you’re 20 miles from Mike Callahan and have own a telephone machine, you better at least try co-existing with beavers, or have a dam good explanation why you didn’t. But this story is a delight to read above and beyond the standards.

Buddies with beavers: Quonquont Farm in Whately enjoys its hard-working neighbors

llison Bell, left, and wife Leslie Harris, right, explain how a “beaver deceiver” on Quonquont Farm works on Thursday. Recorder Staff/Andy Castillo

WHATELY — The farmers who own Quonquont Farm and the beavers that live there have a special and rare friendly relationship.

But it wasn’t always like that: “They’ve made a lot of converts,” says Allison Bell, the manager of the almost 100-year-old farm. Bell, who has authored a few books on New England mountain summits for the Appalachian Mountain Club, helps run the farm along with wife, Leslie Harris, and co-owner Ann Barker.

Bell is standing at the headwaters of Dingle Brook, the edge of a small beaver pond — one of several on the farm’s 140 acres — a stone’s throw from a farm store and a few hundred yards from a converted barn used for special events like weddings. Across a narrow path, an apple orchard — Quonquont Farm’s primary crop — stretches up and over a small rise into a sky streaked in pastel hues. It’s a beautiful late-fall evening.

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Recorder Staff/Andy Castillo A beaver on Quonquont Farm in Whately Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Recorder Staff/Andy Castillo

Around four years ago, the beavers moved in to stay. Within a short time, they’d dammed up the spring-fed brook, which flows through the property, and created a pond, threatening a blueberry patch. At first, Bell says the farmers panicked; however, after installing a “beaver deceiver” — a drainage system installed by Mike Callahan, who owns Southampton-based Beaver Solutions — water levels receded. The system was funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant and keeps the beaver pond to a specified size.

“It’s been quiet here for a while, but the beavers have made some renovations,” she says, pointing out a mud dam along the shore, noting that the water level has risen about half a foot over the summer — despite the drought. “You can see signs of them. They’re very active, taking down our willows for us. They’re volunteers.”

We love Allison AND this story. Even the names sound like a quaint new england novel about persistant love in the face of overwhelming odds. Quonquont farm in Whately decorated with amber apple orchards in the fall sun. I’m so glad you’re getting this right!

orks on Thursday. Recorder Staff/Andy Castillo Evidence of beavers on Quonquont Farm in Whately, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2016. Recorder Staff/Andy Castillo

Over the years, she’s become a subject-matter expert, studying the beavers’ habits with wildlife cameras, which are installed throughout the waterway-network, and researching their behavior norms.

“They’re just the most industrious creatures,” says Harris, who’s touring the “beaver’s domain” along with Bell. “People say ‘busy as beavers’ and they’re not kidding around.”

Suddenly, a small brown head pokes out of the water near the lodge. It’s the oldest: a one-eyed, large beaver that swims with a slight list on the right side and that has a particular taste for apples. Soon, a few others emerge, drifting like wet logs near the middle of the pond.

Usually, the beavers are most active at night; today, however, Bell says they’re curious about the activity on the shore. Bell discovered the beaver’s love for apples because of a well-worn path that led out of one of the ponds to a wild apple tree a few summers ago.

Since then, she’s observed the beavers scurrying out of the water, grabbing a fallen apple, and scurrying back.

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known they have a sweet tooth,” she says, pointing out where the path was — leading from the brook, which the beavers dug out into a deep canal.

A decade of extensive research in Martinez has suggested to me ALL beavers have a penchant for apples, its just that some beavers are more inclined to risk their necks for it than others. As you can see beavers are particularly fond of apple peelings.

“We come down every evening and watch them,” Bell says while watching the old beaver come out onto the dam and gnaw on a twig, adding, “it provides a really interesting look into their lives.”

Yes it does! And our own, if you think about it. Your musings really make me think there might be an Allison beaver book in your future, or at least a cup of coffee with author Patti Smith (Beavers of Popple’s Pond) and a discussion of what it’s like to watch beavers.

Now if only Ian Timothy has some friends near this mall in Kentucky, today could be a perfect beaver news day!

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The case of the unfixed problem

heidi08 Beavers September 5, 2013

I have written about Eagle Ranch in Colorado three times in the last year, with ebbing hope that they are ever going to learn to do this right. I have painstakingly looked up email addresses of the folks involved and sent them information on flow devices and beaver benefits and practically drawn for them a map of how to get to Sherri Tippie’s house for help. (She is 90 minutes away.) It has all been to no avail, because they still haven’t fixed the flooding or learned to live with it. After spending money to hire this wildlife wizard they surprisingly still have a problem.

Dam problem in Eagle Ranch

There is still a problem with beaver activity in Eagle Ranch since it became an issue a year ago, and the beaver population throughout the entire region is apparently robust. Last October, a colony of beavers moved into an area along Brush Creek in Eagle. They destroyed many large trees along the bike path, built dams on the creek that threatened to flood homes and clogged storm ponds that are used to filter pollutants out of runoff water before it goes back into Brush Creek.

The town trapped and relocated one beaver before Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers advised that it was too late in the season to relocate the animals. The town was encouraged to euthanize trapped beavers or wait until the spring to relocate them. The town opted for the latter, hoping higher flows in Brush Creek with spring runoff might get the animals to move out.

Euthanize? What happened, are the beavers in pain? I hate when people put lace doilies over shivs to cover up their lethal intent. I guess you better Stacy-Chase the rest of the family down and finish them off because you are clearly incapable of learning.

“There hasn’t been enough activity to say how many are there,” Chase said. “We trapped a young beaver there in the spring but it was hard to say if it had just moved in or if it was maintaining the dam. We’ll continue monitoring this week and we might start trapping again next week.”

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Believe it or not we have better signs of intelligent life from Fairview Canada, which is in Alberta about 5 hours away from Glynnis Hood.

Beavers creating dam problems in M.D. Fairview

Several angered residents have brought forth to the Municipal District of Fairview issues concerning beavers in the Fairview and Clear Hills area, and the problems they are causing. Beavers have built dams along the Leith River and surrounding bodies of water, causing a water backlog along a number of properties in the area, including one 160-acre property with more than 40% of it under water.

“I’ve got 65 acres, that’s half my field. They’re not going to do anything unless it causes damage to other properties. Well, it causes damage on my property. I pay M.D. taxes and I can’t farm my land. There’s got to be something done so I can farm my own land,” said one of many concerned ratepayers.

“That land is supposed to be a free flow river, there aren’t supposed to be beaver dams on it – this is farmland. I may as well plant rice.”

Okay, I expect the angry farmers, huddling together in a pitchfork mob to make a plan to take out the rodents. I’m resigned to the “us versus them” mentality. I’ve covered the beaver beat for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of things that look better in black and white, but I didn’t expect this:

Beavers often dam streams and rivers in shallow valleys, where the flooded areas become productive wetlands capable of supporting a biodiversity equal to that of a tropical rain forest. The calm waters held behind dammed walls then act as a nursery for fish, ducks, and other species.

The removal of beavers from the area tends to often be a short-term fix, as other beavers tend to migrate into the empty habitat, continuing the cycle. Other options available to control water levels behind beaver dams are to install a pipe and cage system, otherwise known as flexible pond levelers, which allow for dams to be kept in place and beavers unharmed.

A flexible leveler system uses a large diameter corrugated polyethylene pipes, with the inlet protected by a five-foot-diameter cage of sturdy fencing. This cage is then placed low enough into the water ensuring the bottom of the pipe become the new upstream water level, allowing beavers to dam alongside the pre-dam fence while water continues to flow freely.

The article is written subtly so that I can’t tell where this sudden peak of beaver IQ comes from. It doesn’t quote any biologist or engineer as responsible for these beautiful paragraphs. I am left to think they’re crafted by the reporter herself, who learned something on some other story, or is best friends with Glynnis’ aunt or caught the last 15 minutes of the Beaver Whisperers this winter. She is practically one of us. I couldn’t have said it better myself. I would say we should celebrate and pass around the cigars if it weren’t for the very last sentence.

Lowering water levels by one foot greatly increases the chance of beavers leaving the site to dam elsewhere along the stream or river.

Naive beaver-lover that I am, I read this first as a caveat. “Be careful when you install or the beavers might leave”. This is a direct caution from Mike Callahan Beaver Solutions website, which means use caution when you lower the pond by more than a foot or the beavers will be uncomfortable with the new pond and build a dam somewhere else. This would mean that your flow device was for nothing, and you might need another one 20 feet away.

Whenever a pond must be lowered by more than a foot, a single round of trapping may be necessary prior to the flow device installation. When new beavers without the memory of the higher water level relocate to this area they are more likely to tolerate the smaller pond so repeat trapping will not be needed. Most Flexible Pond Leveler TM failures are due to new downstream damming in response to a dramatic lowering of the water level.

As it happens, we have actually argued about this sentence because it is followed by a reminder that if you need the pond lower than that you MIGHT have to trap. (To which I always staunchly remind that in Martinez Skip lowered our dam by three feet before he installed the flow device, and our beavers tolerated it.)

But this morning I realize that this last sentence of the article isn’t a reminder not to lower the dam too much, but rather a tantalizing promise that if you lower the pond by a foot the beavers will simply go away of their own accord. The reporter may have been closely listening when Glynnis described why beavers are good for ponds. But she obviously drifted off and missed the part about the purpose of flow devices.

Sigh. Self-deportation of beavers. Fairview is obviously still in the tail portion of this graph.

A Breath of Fresh Ayer!

heidi08 Beavers February 1, 2012

Pond and dam management inventory underway

AYER — With the aim of cataloguing and eventually managing all of the town’s ponds and dams, the Dam and Pond Management Committee held its inaugural meeting Monday night to begin consideration of a vital component of Ayer’s ecological profile.

Selectmen charged members with coming up with an inventory of the town’s dams and ponds, an assessment of their conditions and maintenance needs, and the compilation of a dam and pond management plan that would address issues requiring attention.

Imagine an entire committee in charge of monitoring all the dams and ponds in a city! I can’t even fathom what that might look like, but that’s the job of this Massachusetts team who are now tracking every beaver dam and pond in the area. Mike Callahan says he recently installed a flow device there and did a presentation a few years back, so maybe his message sunk in. Or maybe this bit of dramatic stupid made the town aware that beaver dams are important.

Adding to the board’s concerns about Flannagan’s Pond, one of a half dozen major bodies of water that are inter-dependent, was an important beaver dam recently breached, possibly by an explosion deliberately set by a person or persons unknown. The result of the dam’s destruction caused massive flooding that left hundreds of acres under water.

Yeah, you really shouldn’t blow up beaver dams. Aside from all the fish and birds you disrupt, its bad news for your down stream neighbors.

In opening their discussion of the issues last Monday night, members began to realize the challenge they faced when presented with a list of the dams in town including the Balch Pond Dam on Cold Spring Brook owned by the town, the Ice House Dam on the Nashua River owned by Ice House Partners, Inc., the Upper Flannagan Pond Dam owned by Linda and John Wesley, the Lower Long Pond Dam owned by Sandy Pond Real Estate, the Plow Shop Pond Dam owned by G.V.M. Realty, Inc., the Plow Shop Pond Dike owned by the town, and the Long Pond Dam on Upper Long Pond also owned by the town.

With the scope of the issue somewhat identified, members decided that for their next meeting, they would need certain informational material at hand in order to begin planning including an exact inventory of dams and topographical maps, sample management plans from other communities to review, and local environmental reports

Other concerns raised by members over the course of the Jan. 30 meeting included liability and enforcement issues, the town’s relations with the owners of private dams, the disposal of yard waste by abutters to the town’s ponds, the role if any of the state in oversight of the ponds, and beavers.

Oh to be a fly on the wall at the next meeting! Well, good luck ‘dam posse’! Feel free to call on us if we can be of any help or assistance!

More good news comes from the Midwest Beer Collective in Milwaukee where efforts to improve the watershed have lead to returning salmon and [incidentally] beavers!

It was a big surprise when salmon stopped their annual river run in the Kinnickinnic River, one of Milwaukee’s most ecologically strained waterways. Imagine people’s surprise when the salmon started coming back: The revitalized salmon population comes as a direct result of Milwaukee’s watershed cleanup plan. City officials have been constructing green roof, setting up rain barrels and buffering watersheds to stop toxic runoff before it pollutes the freshwater. These techniques have allowed the river ecosystem to reestablish itself, and the wildlife is returning. Very simple cleanup plans like these are finding success across the nation.

The author, Anthony Cefali offers the tale of beaver and salmon primarily as a way to re-introduce a new [old] word “Umwelt” which he describes as, ‘A German word, umwelt came about in the 1920’s. It poorly translates to “self-world,” or the observable world of an organism occupying a certain habitat.’ What he never quite acknowledges is that the Umwelt of the beaver dramatically becomes habitat for salmon, birds, mammals and amphibians. This is why the beaver was counted as an indicator for multiple species in the award winning Mannahatta project. This was the central thesis of Dietland Muller-Swarze’s Beaver: Natural History of a Wetlands Engineer.

The beaver requires only food and water, but if those needs are met he can produce ideal conditions for an increased riparian border, salmon, things that eat salmon, stream channelization, silt removal, water quality improvement, bird population increase and diversity, water table raised, change vulnerability to drought all the while creating conditions that create more beavers to do it all over again.

Thanks for the new world and the positive article. But here’s what Mr. Cefali should have mentioned:

smolt — Smot production: Beaver Dams vs. Large Woody Debris LWD (Pollock et al)

Lessons Learned

heidi08 Beaver News, Beavers, Beavers elsewhere, City Reports, Creative Solutions October 3, 2011

Mike Callahan, president of Beaver Solutions of Southampton, said he was on the road much of the time during the two stormschecking out sites where beaver flow devices had been installed.

“I was a little nervous, because in several cases flow devices were completely under water, but all of them were working. And in those cases the roads made out much better,” he said, explaining that fencing placed in front of culverts snagged beaver debris, and kept the culverts open and flowing, Mr. Callahan said.

“Where there were problems, were those culverts with grates right up against the opening that had become blocked by sticks and mud leaving the increased water flow no place to go except up and over the roads,” he said.

Beaver dam activity is seen off East Brookfield Road in North Brookfield, near the East Brookfield line. (T&G Staff/JIM COLLINS)

Apparently TS Irene damaged roads and culverta all around the state, and even though Massachusetts has “onerous” (read humane) trapping rules the state of emergency declared by the governor means all bets are off and folks are scrambling to kill as many beaver as possible before its lifted.

Luckily the areas serviced by beaver friend Mike Callahan aren’t as badly hit. That’s a perk. And the culverts covered with a metal grate are filled with debris, imagine that!

Mr. Coletta said that in those situations where flooding caused by beavers poses an immediate hazard, the priority is resolving the threat by whatever means necessary, and “dealing with the paperwork later.”

Kill’em first and ask questions later. Gosh you mean that TERRIBLE law that prevents the state from drowning beavers and cutting off the feet of coyotes allows for emergency exceptions? Don’t tell Massachusetts Committee For Responsible Wildlife Management, it would ruin their whole schitck.

Hmm…reading further in the article I am reminded that one of my favorite bloggers is famous for saying that “Every politician is going to break your heart” meaning that whether you adore Reagan or Kennedy at some crucial point in their political career they are going to make SOME decision that betrays what you hold most dear and make you feel bereft. It’s just the way politics works, and like all heartbreaks they hurt and have the potential to make you bitter or retaliatory. That blogger notes that its good to keep in mind that in the long run you’re better off having stuff you really respect about any leader and realizing they aren’t a savior.

I guess the same can be said for beaver experts.

Mr. Callahan said his wife is a licensed trapper, but most situations can be resolved without harm to either beaver or human by finding the right balance with flow-control devices.

Sigh. Who knew beavers were going to teach me so much about life?

And one upbeat note to take with you into your Monday. Apparently the muralist Mario was seen repainting his signature this week. I’m going to imagine that after reading Friday’s scathing article in the chronicle our city manager told our Director of Public Works to take him out for a beer and soothe his feathers so that he signed the damn thing and Martinez got out of the spotlight for a moment. Apparently the peace offering did the trick, because this appeared yesterday,

Um, look closely at the “O” and think about that story of Michael Angelo painting the pompous face of the Master of Ceremony in the underworld with Donkey Ears. Go Beavers!

He who laughs last…

Good News Comes in Threes

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, Environmental, Festival, Friends of Martinez Beavers, In the News, Video June 19, 2011

THE IBIS TOM RUSERT was trying to release in Yolo County realized it had a good thing going with the avid birder and did not want to leave his side - make that head.

Rusert Earns Bird Award

Our good friend, Tom Rusert, of Sonoma Birding was in the paper Friday for some pretty amazing news. Seems he’s this years winner of the American Birding Association’s Ludlow Griscom Award for outstanding contribution in Regional Ornithology.

Given to individuals who have dramatically advanced the state of ornithological knowledge for a particular region. This may be through their long-time contributions in monitoring avian status and distribution, facilitating the publication of state bird books, breeding bird atlases and significant papers on the regional natural history of birds. This may also be through the force of their personality, teaching and inspiration.

Emily’s article is a great read and really gives you a sense of how remarkable this recognition is for someone who’s ‘spare time’ has created an exciting, national movement. Regular readers will remember that Tom is the director of the Valley of the Moon Lecture Series where I spoke about the Martinez Beavers this year. He has visions of beavers returning soon to Sonoma, bringing waves of birds and salmon with them. He’s already invited Michael Pollock to dovetail a lecture when he’s presenting at the State of the Estuary Conference in September. Not small world enough for you? Tom will be maintaining a booth and leading a children’s bird walk at this years Beaver Festival!

Congratulations, Tom with recognition much deserved! We couldn’t be happier for you!

mendenhall — Beaver dam at Mendenhall Glacier: Photo Bob Armstrong

Want more good news? Read this article about the long-haul beaver advocates in Juneau. Remember Bob Armstrong and Mary Willson whose lovely book on the Mendenhall Glacier Beavers you’ve probably seen lying around? Well they convinced US Forestry to come with funds to have Mike Callahan of Beaver Solutions out to teach them how to safely manage beavers. Now they’ve installed their first flow device and are excited to implement more.

Willson, who is a retired professor of ecology and co-leader of the Beaver Patrol, had been one of eight who worked last week to install the culvert. The group, who has worked since 2007 to preserve the resources, trails and animal residents of the Dredge Lakes area, spent a full day installing two of these apparatuses. Willson said they are called levelers and their installation will help lower and manage water levels in flooded areas and restore currently un-useable trails.

Great work, Bob, Mary, Mike & helpers! the beavers of Juneau thank you!

And finally, a rumor from a ranger at JMA lead me to check out this article from Patch and the Gazette and contact Mr. Chandler about adding possible beaver footage to the new City Channel 28. He wrote back Friday and suggested that they would be willing to air 10 minutes of promotion for the Beaver Festival, and possibly a review afterwards. Assuming the council gives it’s approval, look for this on your TV screen soon!