WILD ALASKA LIVE | Exploring a Beaver Dam | PBS
Just because it’s called ‘educational programming’ doesn’t mean it makes you any smarter. GRR! Wild Alaska had so much potential and mentions how important ponds are to other wildlife, but it decided to emphasize instead that salmon HATE beaver dams. (At least it clearly shows them jumping over.) Quick, to the bat beaver mobile! Leave a comment so they read some research that shows how crucial beavers are to those precious fish.
Meanwhile there’s plenty of good news from beaver central, with a nice beaver article published yesterday in the Mercury News, written by our old friend Sam Richards. The nicely-written plug even links to the festival website!
Beavers or not, annual Martinez festival happens Aug. 5
MARTINEZ — There probably aren’t any beavers in Alhambra Creek as you read this, but there definitely will be a 10th annual Beaver Festival, to honor both the paddle-tail swimmers that put the city in the national news in 2007 and 2008, and the creek environmental experts say benefited greatly from the beavers’ presence.
This year’s festival runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at what’s come to be known as “Beaver Park,” the grassy plaza off Marina Vista adjacent to Alhambra Creek, near the Amtrak station.
The festival boasts environmental booths and displays from groups in five counties, live music, a wildlife-centered silent auction and children’s activities that combine craft-making with environmental learning.
Festival participants can learn everything they need to know, through a kid-friendly illustrated “beaver wall” showing the process, and a costumed beaver expert explaining on stage the good works that beavers do to help the overall ecology where they live.
Brock Dolman of the Sonoma County-based Occidental Arts and Ecology Center’s Water Institute will give a presentation about the beaver’s worth in an ecosystem. That group leads a “Bring Back the Beavers Campaign” to encourage their return to more local creeks.
Award-winning author Ben Goldfarb will be on hand to discuss his upcoming book about beavers, and other experts will be on hand to offer their views.
The festival is free, and decidedly family-friendly. For more in formation, click here
Wonderful! He did a great job of sifting through my tome of a press release and finding the important bits. (There’s always too much to say or explain. I have a pith problem, I admit it.) I’m glad that he talked about the importance of Brock’s presentation and the “Bring Back Beavers Campaign” and even happier he mentioned Ben Golfarb’s upcoming book. But I love decidedly family-friendly the best, and that’s why it’s in blue. It makes us sound soo cheerful and appealing.We’re also expecting an article from Jennifer Shaw and the Gazette, so with any luck at all I won’t be the only one there.
BTW if you haven’t seen the festival page yet you should check it out.
