My goodness, it looks like the gripping trial to consider possibly slightly inconveniencing Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson is delayed yet again. You will remember that Mark found time after his busy day of dog-catching to shoot two unlucky beavers in a public park after making a special effort to let a passing damsel know his intention. The case was originally transferred because no one wanted to try him in the town where he worked, and it was then moved to nearby Ewing where it was subsequently cancelled because of a ‘conflict’ with the judge before being moved to Lawrence where it has just been cancelled because of a ‘conflict’ with the prosecutor.
Remember in legalese ‘conflict’ means ‘I’m reluctant to find you guilty because you’re my friend or I might need you one day and I don’t want to have to admit it’.
Since he can’t possibly be related to all these people Mr. Johnson is either a magnetically congenial man who hypnotically endears himself without effort to everyone on the bench OR he is relied upon for a steady stream of mysterious favors that no one in New Jersey wants to interrupt. Don’t forget that all of this dramatic shuffling is for an offense considered so minor that even if found guilty and prosecuted to the full extent of the law will still only set him back about 300 dollars.
A new venue has not yet been named in this macabre justice roulette, and maybe that’s really the safest decision. If he doesn’t know where his trial is going to be he won’t have a clue of who to make ‘friends’ with. I say announce the venue the day before and quarantine everyone in the courtroom so he can’t buy anyone dinner.
Who knew a beaver-shooting dog-catcher could be so charming?
We’ve been working on so many beaver stories lately around the nation that I thought I’d give you an little update on our out-of-state friends.
New Jersey: Franklin Lakes, Franklin Swamp
Remember beaver friend Gail wrote me that the home owners in Franklin Lakes were upset with the rising water and had asked the city to bring in the beaver killers? Well she was able to get HSUS to assign Heather Cammisa on the case and that resulted in Laura Simon having a long receptive conversation yesterday with the mayor yesterday. She wrote last night:
I spoke to Mayor Maura DeNicola for a long time and was surprised at how supportive she was. She thanked me for contacting her and expressed how she truly wants a humane solution for this issue. Sounds like a 40 inch culvert (in need of replacement) is the main source of the problem, along with some tree felling. Several irate homeowners are trying to hire a trapper on their own but she is willing to contact them to discuss trying a different kind of solution, if the Council approves.
I’m putting together info for her right now since there’s a Council meeting tonight, and she will be discussing this issue –and our recommended solution. I told her we’d be happy to do a site assessment, give an estimate, and also give a more formal presentation if desired.
Hmmm….that sounds promising, but Gail is worried about the homeowners hiring their own “gun”. Notes from the council meeting aren’t up yet. Apparently another friend sent this letter to the editor of the local paper:
In your November 25, 2009 issue of the “Villadom Times”, you feature an article about a Beaver Colony in Franklin Lakes, and the intention of the town to have them trapped and killed. As someone who lives on the water, I can understand the frustration of the surrounding neighbors, who live on the perimeter of the Town Swamp. However, killing is rarely the answer, and there is afar more humane and educationally positive way to deal with this lovely little family.
Franklin Lakes has prided itself on it’s abundance of fresh water areas; including swamps, lakes, ponds and fens. With these natural areas, come responsibilities and challenges, as they need to be preserved and cherished for the next generation. According to various Beaver experts, there is only one way in which the water table should be dealt with, and that’s with a Beaver Flow device. These devices have been in place in some states for as long as 20 years, and have been successful. According to the Humane Society, positive results were achieved and 94% of the people said that they would recommend it to other towns. Flow device success rates were observed at 97% for culvert devices. Trapping and killing had a failure rate of 84%; due to the fact that the sites were re-colonized, some within one year of intervention.
Beavers are considered to be “keystone species”, because they create a habitat that is beneficial to many other areas in the affected ecosystem. Their dams actually act as a filter as it slows the water flow, which allows for sediments and toxic material to filter through the pond bed. This is not only beneficial to the aquatic environment, but one is looking at a tremendous educational tool for the local school children. Very few students have the ability to come and study these industrious families, and learn from them in their own backyards. This is an opportunity for the entire town, to experience nature at it’s finest. These animals should be valued and protected; not killed.
Dave Mallet wrote some great lyrics about the environment. One which comes to mind is: “Some will still weep, when the gifts we are given are gone”. This family is a gift, and Franklin Lakes needs to protect them for the future of Franklin Lakes.
Respectfully, Elizabeth Butler
Tomorrow I’ll update you on Illinois and Connecticut beavers.
