I told you Sherri Tippie saved the Denver beavers. Didn’t I tell you? This was published a couple days ago and pretty much proves my point.
Don’t Fear The Beaver
Concerned about global warming? Out of control wildfires? Soil erosion? Water quality? Loss of species? One part of the solution may be that busy nocturnal rodent of legend—the North American beaver, castor canadensis. Once trapped to near extinction, the species today is thriving in Denver’s urban waterways.
According to Denver beaver advocate Sherri Tippie, by harvesting trees, building its dams and digging canals, these 50 to 80-pound animals with paddle-shaped tails can transform otherwise barren landscapes into flourishing wetlands. In doing so they create environments for dozens of species of fish, reptiles, birds and larger mammals.
Hi Sherri! Nice to see you’re still preaching the gospel and fighting the good fights!
National Geographic’s September 2020 issue contained an extensive article titled, “How beavers became North America’s best firefighter,” explaining that the animal “creates fireproof refuges for many species, suggesting wildlife managers should protect beaver habitat as the U.S. West burns.”
Tippie, an expert in humane beaver relocation and author of the pamphlet Working with Beaver for Better Habitat Naturally, says that most all of Denver’s area waterways have beavers, including the South Platte, Bear Creek, Cherry Creek, Sand Creek, and Tollgate Creek in Aurora.
Somethings just get better an better. What a great article to read before Christmas.
The City of Denver supports co-existence with beavers. Vicki Vargas-Madrid, wildlife program administrator for Denver Parks and Recreation, says the city’s beaver management objectives include minimizing potential conflicts related to beaver activity, and supporting the animals’ role in the urban environment.
Educating Denver city-dwellers about the importance of beavers to the ecosystem, she says, is most important. People sometimes get upset when they see a fallen tree, says Vargas-Madrid, “but we have lots of trees … and beavers take only what they need.” Vargas-Madrid described a conflict last winter when bicycle path users were upset a beaver dam had flooded part of the Cherry Creek trail, which then iced over. “We started to get complaints. Riders did not want to take another path,” she said.
Well now, thats a sentence you don’t read every day from the parks department. That’s impressive persuasion powers at work for you. Imagine reading that sentence in Martinez? Maybe in another two decades.
At some beaver-dammed waterways, Denver installs water flow control devices to prevent excess flooding. One successful trademarked flow device is called the “Beaver Deceiver,” the website of which advocates against trapping or killing nuisance beavers. “Because wetlands are so important,” notes the website, “beavers might create more value for other wildlife and society than any other animal on Earth.” Vargas-Madrid agreed that trapping and re-location of beavers is not a preferred option. Beavers are territorial, and removal of one beaver means another will just come along to replace it.
Sniff. You have done such excellent work, Sherri. We can only aspire to be like you some day.
Beavers can be surprisingly large, between 50 and 80 pounds fully grown. But, according to Tippie, they are not dangerous. A beaver will slap its paddle-like tail loudly in the water as a warning if startled, but will generally flee from people.
So, stay up late, or get up very early. and visit a local Denver creek. You might be rewarded with the sight of North America’s largest and most industrious rodent.
You know my very first state of the beaver conference Sherri was there. I was still in a state of panic about our beavers and felt burdened with the pressure of saving them. I listened to all these smart, hardworking impressive speakers and felt so dazzled by their brilliance. But when I listened to Sherri I just started crying. I felt totally at peace, Protected. Safe. And just sat there beaming with tears of joy streaming down my face.
I felt the way you feel as a child, when you know you can fall asleep safe in the backseat and your parents will find the way home.
