Yesterday I listened to a very interesting webinar by WGBH in Boston which was basically author Ben Goldfarb interviewing author Judith D. Schwartz about her concept of nature using nature to heal itself. “Reindeer, Beaver, and Healing Nature With Nature”. 

He of course became a Judith fan reading “Water in plain sight” which included a section on beavers and a conversation with Brock Dolman. It was interesting to think about the role nature plays in fixing itself, even nature we’ve interfered with like Reindeer. It was even more fun seeing Ben treated like the ‘help’ instead of the famous author we all know he is. At the end the host asked them what books they were currently working and before Ben got to answer the host directed him to ask HER what she was working on.

Ben of course was a good sport and did a lot of beaver praising when he was allowed. It’s wild to think that Nature might be using wildlife to combat climate change.  From the beavers that show up in cities to the herded reindeer that stomp down the permafrost with their hooves.

Anyway it was a pretty fun listen. I don’t see a link to it but I’ll let you know if its online, Meanwhile there’s plenty of ordinary beaver headlines to keep us busy.

This headline in particular from a resource company made me snort my orange juice.

How Dangerous Is the Beaver?

With their oversized front teeth, beady little eyes and funny flat tails, beavers look less like crazed killers and more like the goofballs of the woods. Yet with their distinctive orange-colored incisors, these furry wonders can slash through a finger-sized tree branch with just a single chomp. So that begs the question: Are beavers dangerous to humans?

It turns out that yes, in certain circumstances, beavers might harm people and pets. But the truth is that beaver attacks make great headlines for one reason — they are incredibly rare.

“Beavers in the wild are not considered dangerous,” emails Michael Callahan, president of the Beaver Institute, which works to reduce beaver-human conflicts using non-lethal methods. “Unless they are threatened, the most aggressive behavior beavers will exhibit is slapping their paddle tail on the water to create a loud noise.”

I’ve been talking to reporters about beavers a while now, Mike. But I have to ask, how does one land such a prodigious beaver interview?