spider

I thought today would be a good day to update folks generally on what’s been happening and what to expect in the next month. Alex is preparing his final “beaver management” summary from the conference, and while he’s busy looking up words in English (can you believe what a good job he’s done?) I can let you know some news.

First of all, I had lunch yesterday with Friends of Alhambra Creek Igor Skaredoff to talk about a project for testing the water quality at the beaver dam. He discussed tests for temperature, salinity, flow, bacteria, detergent and BMI (Benthic Macro-Invertibrates), how they could all be accomplished, and who the key players were to beg favors from to do this on the cheap. Igor knows and is loved by absolutely everyone, so I wrote down everything said and nodded gratefully a lot. The idea would be to work with Rona Zollinger and the ESA students to get the project going. She’s already expressed interest, so the next step is to contact my beaver experts and learn what’s most important for beaver health, and then shorten the list. If you’d like to be involved, especially if you have any expertise to contribute (maybe you’re a whiz with spread sheets or research?) drop us a line and I promise you will never feel more loved or popular.

In other news, beaver friend Mike Callahan was invited to the State House in Massachusetts thursday with the MSPCA to present on beaver management. One of the interested parties in attendance was the chief of staff for Senator Antony Petruccelli who, as it turns out, is the chair of the committee for the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (in charge of beavers!) and vice chair of the committee on climate change. The chief of staff was very very interested in Mike’s presentation, stayed to ask questions, and invited him back for another presentation. Given the hit job the Department of Fish and Game got the New York Times to do on beavers earlier in the year, it would be excellent to have a key player on our side.

Scott of JournOwl has been very close to some good news about his burrowing owls, and posted about it here. Looks like the developer and the city are starting to take the owls seriously, so that’s a great achievement.

Our calendar for October is looking fairly insane but the beavers surely appreciate the advocacy work.

October 3: Wild Birds Unlimited, Pleasant Hill

October 6: Presentation to Parks, Marina and Cultural Commission, City Hall

October 10: Jugband Jamboree, Martinez Marina

October 11: Native Plant Fair, Tilden Park

October 17: Girlscouts Amazing day, Flyway Fiesta Sugar Loaf, Walnut Creek

October 22: Presentation to the Kiwis Club, Martinez

Get the picture? We’re gonna be busy.

By the way, I just got back from a trip North and saw these wonderful interpretive signs at MacKerricher state Park in Fort Bragg. They were conceived, made and designed by Sea Reach, an Oregon based Company, so I just had to call and ask how they felt about beavers. Great conversation and ideas, and definately got me rethinking the idea of our interpretive signs.

A related note about my conversation with Dave: In the commercial breaks we chatted about woodpeckers and badgers and I tried to get him interested in the stories. He knew about these stories from Carolyn Jones’ articles in the Chronicle, so step one is get her attention!

Finally, Cheryl did some great sleuthing and sent me this last night. It’s the blog from Jenny Holden of Scotland, Field Officer for the Scottish Beaver Trial. Check out her pictures from the conference. Sadly, I don’t see our t-shirt, but we’ll work on them for next year.

Once more into the breech dear friends! I will be talking with Dave Egbert about the Martinez Beavers, Worth A Dam and the stewardship on monday morning at 8 am. He assures me this interview will have fewer commercials and no council members. We’ll see if I can manage to talk about beavers for another hour of my life. (What are the odds?) I’m not familiar with the station, but it says its “all positive” talk radio. Do you think that means they’ll edit out all of the horrible things the city has done so far? In case you want to listen or call in and ask friendly questions that remind me to say things I forgot to mention, here’s the information. If you aren’t around at 8, the interview will be archived at this address, so you can listen anyway.

If you are interested in green living and sustainability this show will give you practical ideas and ways to live and be green while helping the planet…

Speak to Dave: Call in between 8-9 am PT, 3rd Monday every month at 800-555-5453 or 310-371-5444 or Twitter or Email Dave at dave@daveegbert.com during his show.

Meanwhile, go check out some smart writing from our friend Scott Artis of JournOwl who had a guest column published in the Contra Costa Times. He uses some nicely tailored language to link the plight of those little burrowing owls to our current housing market.

In a rather dreary economic mess, a bright light had emerged in the form of a pseudo-wildlife refuge with a handful of owls taking center stage. That was until the fence, so often the culprit in habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss, vanished. As the property exchanged hands from one builder to another, the once-protected habitat was now open to the public and the burrowing owls that stood watch in the middle of the streets were now dodging cars, off-roading vehicles and piles of garbage.

Great writing, and excellent use of media to raise awareness for these feathered phantoms. Some one needs to nominate this young man for the JMA conservation awards. (Someone who isn’t on the board, that is….)