The Skydiving Beavers – Worth A Dam

Did you read beaver April fool’s yesterday? (If you didn’t drop down one post and give yourself a treat). In addition to wistfully panging all day with what ‘might have been’, it also made me extremely happy. Yellow Springs (where the story was from) was the beaver case we got involved in Ohio where the community NEARLY forced the council to make a U-turn on some beaver-killing plans, but was overturned at the last moment. As you can see the meme still survived as a punchline in the April Fool’s article which means it’s still on everyone’s mind. In the words attributed to Ghandi:

First they ignore you
Then they laugh at you
Then they fight with you
Then you win.

Clearly Ohio is at Stage Two on a grand scale, which is pretty amazing this early in the game. Expect some big beaver news from them soon. And thank you Lauren Shows for my favorite April Fool’s story EVER.

Meanwhile, Joe Wheaton writes that he has zero idea who was behind that article yesterday because no reporter ever talked to him about it. He was surprised that the webinar was so well attended, which is wonderful in every way you can think of. I wonder if more articles will come creeping across our paths?

Yesterday I received two lovely copies of the new children’s book “The Skydiving Beavers” by Susan Wood. It’s going to be released on “International Beaver Day” April 7. I agreed to do a short interview with Susan for the release but I can proudly include them for our silent auction now.

Regular readers of this website know I braced myself for the story because Idaho’s great beaver fling is not my favorite beaver tale. But this book does an excellent job of introducing the thoughtful fish and game official, Elmo Heter, who came up with that crazy scheme. He remembered all that left over parachute silk from WWII and invented the box that would open on impact. Then ran several trials with a plucky beaver named ‘Geranimo” to make sure it worked.

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What a pleasant surprise to flip to the ‘author’s notes’ at the back and find this: I’m going to imagine it winds up in every school library around the country, and some child or parent who wants to learn more will read it and save their local beavers as well.

Thanks, Susan and Sleeping Bear Press for the donation and including our grounded famous beavers in Martinez.

Our beaver gang is teaming up with the Watershed Steward interns, Friends of Alhambra Creek, the SF waterboard and the assistant city engineer this morning to plant willow cuttings along the creek under the guidance of creek wizardess Ann Riley. We’re hoping the rain waits kindly until they’re done. Cheryl will be there capturing it all on film and my contribution is making wrap sandwiches to feed the troops when they’re finished. I’m not mentioning this to the city but of course I’m hoping that the juicy delectable new shoots that grow encourage our beavers to show their furry faces again soon. Fingers crossed!

The saplings form our last guerilla planting are doing very well!

Yesterday I was contacted by children’s author Susan Wood who was publishing a book on the parachuting beavers which she said would include a link to our website for information about the animals. The book was coming out in April and a website was being launched to promote it. She wondered if the education resources section on the site might include links to our teacher’s activities as well?

First, we are always flattered and pleased that our site is useful to anyone. And of course beaver education is near and dear to our hearts. But another book on this particular subject? I guess folks just LOVE the idea of throwing beaver out of planes.

I told the author that I appreciated the contact and the mentions and she was welcome to link to our site. I also asked for a signed copy for the silent action. Here we are on their educational resource page. I’ve been doing this so long that I didn’t even remember designing the “beaver catcher” until I checked the site. Sometimes my enthusiasm surprises even me.

This is the second children’s book covering the topic. The first was was published last year by our beaver friend Jennifer Lovett and called “Beavers Away!” I guess we should brace ourselves for a beaver-flinging story every year! Maybe they’ll be a whole library shelf dedicated to them. I’ve politely told both authors it is NOT our favorite topic and have been assured the books make it clear that throwing animals from the air is not encouraged.