Well, probably not for the beavers themselves, but for the students who are studying them. Program manager Erin Sams has just asked that I clarify and say:
“We did not receive money from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates Family Foundation is a Denver-based foundation that solely supports Colorado programs. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea.”
Close enough, I’m still impressed. And you will be too when you read about this awesome project.
Beaver Habitat and River Ecology Monitoring
We are teaming up with Chatfield State Park, the Audubon Society of Greater Denver, Colorado Gulf and Turf, University of Colorado Professor Dr. John Basey, View Into The Blue, and Ocean Classrooms to monitor beaver activity along the South Platte River in Chatfield State Park. The project would not be possible without generous funding provided by The Gates Frontier Fund and Ocean Classrooms.
Beginning in December 2012, scientists and students surveyed the area to determine where the webcams would be installed and to begin preliminary observation of the beaver activity. Now, we are ready to begin work on the project! In late March 2013, we will begin installing an aboveground camera that will monitor several dams along a portion of the river to help us learn more about activity within this beaver community. We will also be installing a science node to collect data on water quality parameters, wireless radio and a solar powering system. We’re looking for lots of help from the Denver T4O community to make this project finally become a reality!
The installation is going to be accompanied by a workshop to teach students and the public about the American beaver’s influence on riparian ecosystems, macroinvertebrate biodiversity, impacts on water quality, and important resource management practices that can benefit both the environment as well as people’s livelihoods.
Colorado has so much to teach about beavers! I’m thinking these teens need to sponsor a beaver festival to really show off their work! And I know just who to invite to come lead the parade. Sherri Tippie is just down the road. I expect this to be a very exciting product that changes how we see beavers for years to come!
* I’m not going to mention that certain regular people can observe beavers without expensive grants or fancy camera installations and said people have been doing so for seven years running – because that would just be….unnecessary.
