Seventh Generation Institute

“Ohhh the beaver and the rancher should be friends…”

heidi08 Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Environmental, Who's saving beavers now? October 15, 2016

The Seventh Generation Institute in New Mexico does remarkable work on a pretty fierce landscape. They’ve been interested in the role beavers can play repairing water systems for a long time, and now they are working with Jon Grigg and the ranchers in Elko to release this new film on the subject. I for one can’t wait to see it. They are using CROWDRISE to raise funds for a screening tour around areas that need it most: Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada and oh yes CALIFORNIA.

Maybe after you see the trailer you’ll want to help get them started?

Trail Center presents film on ranching and beavers

ELKO — The California Trail Interpretive Center will present a free screening of a one-hour film that explores the pros and cons of beaver on ranch lands. “Rethinking Beaver: old nuisance or new partner?” will show at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

The film features local ranch manager Jon Griggs of Maggie Creek Ranch. It draws from real life experiences and unscripted interviews with him and other ranchers.

“Rethinking Beaver” explores the use of beaver as a tool to repair erosion, increase forage and overall productivity, and improve wildlife habitat on ranches.

The film was produced by Seventh Generation Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

If Elko Nevada doesn’t have the highest beaver IQ in the state -let alone the entire west I’d be very surprised. It was where I first read about the remarkable work of Carol Evans of the BLM which introduced me eventually to Susie Creek and Jon Griggs. Carol has since retired from her BLM job but is still interested in creeks and beavers. I was trying earlier to tempt her into hitching a ride to the State of the Beaver Conference in Oregon.

When SGI isn’t making movies it’s talking directly to ranchers, relocating nuisance beaver or leading workshops teaching how to install flow devices. They are a front lines organization with smart work and good intentions. Congratulations Catherine Wilds and our friends at Seventh Generation! We can’t to wait to see the positive effect this has.

The right spokesman

heidi08 Beavers elsewhere, Creative Solutions, Dispersal, Educational, Environmental, Who's saving beavers now? December 13, 2015

More goodies from the 7th Generation Institute Winter newsletter. These are previews quote of their interviews with ranchers which will appear in their upcoming film. Send this to your nonbelieving friends.

Aren’t those WONDERFUL? Honestly, I want to print them as post cards and mail them to every landowner in the west. Thanks for your great work, 7GI! It isn’t often that I closely read an entire newsletter and am disappointed to get to the end.

I really couldn’t resist the awesome broadcast earlier in the week, and had to let myself play. There honestly aren’t many things more fun for me than this, and I needed some cheer after the week I’ve had. Watch at least until the police come or skip ahead if you can. Just be grateful the good folk at Powtoon will only let me do 5 minutes for free, otherwise I would have kept going!

Working for you!

heidi08 Beavers and salmon, Beavers and trout, Beavers and water, Beavers elsewhere, Educational, Environmental, Who's saving beavers now? December 12, 2015

This morning I’m sharing a great article from the winter newsletter of our friends at the Seventh Generation Institute in New Mexico. This is the story of a workshop for ranchers they held in Nevada. It was enticingly called, “Making beaver work for you“, so you know it got my attention. The last paragraph reveals their true mission: “Keeping beavers in streams where they can work their magic! ” Enjoy.

*This barn at the Winecup-Gamble ranch made a perfect shady place for teams to build flow device parts, learn about beaver behavior and share a few stories.*

Of course , around here we would say “That’s BEAVER impact”. But that’s just us. Great work!

Sunday at the Movies

heidi08 Beaver Behavior, Beavers, Beavers elsewhere, History September 11, 2011

Today will be full of footage, flashbacks, flags and recriminations. Maybe some beavers can lighten your spirit a little. These were both weekend surprises, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.

The first was prepared by Mike Foster for our friends at Seventh Generation and introduces the idea of the beaver as a keystone species. There will be a permanent link to it on the website.

The Beaver a Keystone Species from Mike Foster on Vimeo.

The second is Mike’s account of beaver reintroduction by the bureau of land management on the San Pedro River. It is a historically fun and nice to see.

Reintroduction of the Beaver to the San Pedro River of Southeastern Arizona from Mike Foster on Vimeo.

Not Hollywood enough for you? Well my folks mentioned in passing that they rented the movie “Buffalo Girls” this weekend and that there were some interesting beaver parts. I waded through Wide Open Spaces where things like acting and editing should have occurred, and pulled together these gems. Don’t say I never did anything for ya.