Do you ever get the feeling that people just wake up one day and start to notice beavers for the first time? Like they never thought of them before but now all of the sudden they’re sitting up and saying “Hey! That’s a big rodent!” Sometimes the dawning realization is heartening to read about and sometimes its not, but given that this is from Connecticut its not too shabby.
Nature Notes: Return of beavers a conservation success story
There are an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 beavers now living in Connecticut, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or CT DEEP. The return of these amazing rodents is a conservation success story, much like the great comeback stories of ospreys and bald eagles. But it didn’t come easily.
Beavers were extirpated from Connecticut and much of their eastern range by the mid-1800s. Their velvety soft, durable pelts were shipped by the thousands to Europe, where they were turned into coats or felt top hats, becoming the rage from the late 16th to mid-19th centuries.
But thanks to trapping regulations and decades of restoration work by dedicated wildlife managers, these unique animals have made a stunning comeback. In fact, there are now more beavers in Connecticut than at any time during the past three centuries, CT DEEP officials claim.
Bill I generally like any story that frames the return of beavers as good news, A conservation success story. Now lets see what else this reporter has to say about them.
Finally, one must talk about the impacts of beavers on our lives. Some are good and some are bad.
The positives are beaver activity often creates vital wetland habitat for fish and waterfowl. Others include pollution filtration, chemical and nutrient absorption, flood control, and aquatic productivity, to name a few.
Negatives include tree cutting, flooding of private and public lands, damage to man-made structures, and water quality and public health issues, to name a few.bout t
The good news is there are methods to protect trees from beaver damage, using so-called exclusion fencing, and clever water level control devices that wildlife management professionals can install to prevent flooding of private lands.o go
In other words, where there’s a will, there’s a way. And let’s not forget something else: “The beavers are simply doing what is natural, and tolerating their activity is part of coexisting with wildlife,” Wilson sensibly writes.
Not bad, Bill Hobbs wrote this column and was willing to say a few nice things about beavers. But still if I lived in on of those east coast postage stamp states and could choose where to learn about beavers, I’d chose Vermont. Especially this upcoming talk by Skip Lisle and Patti Smith.
Green River Watershed Alliance offers beaver education programs
GUILFORD—On the weekend of Oct. 16 and 17, the Green River Watershed Alliance will host two programs on beavers.
The ponds and wetlands created by these industrious animals help mitigate drought and the impact of floods. They increase the richness and diversity of wildlife habitat. They can also cause headaches for road crews and property owners.
The first program will take place in Marlboro on Oct. 16. Participants will meet at the post office at 4 p.m. and will drive from there to visit a couple of beaver ponds at the headwaters of the Green River.
Patti Smith, naturalist at the Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center and longtime watcher of beavers, will interpret the signs of autumnal beaver activity. Fall is the best season for beaver watching; the beavers are busy preparing for winter, there are no more mosquitoes, and the colors of autumn are reflected in the waters of the pond.
Ahhh Patti! Sharing her great love with the good people of Guilford, If you haven’t yet picked up a copy of her book you really owe it to yourself to read her lovely tales in The Beavers of Popples Pond.
These sites are both on quiet back roads and provide “wonderful opportunities for wildlife watching year-round,” the GRWA notes in a news release. “They exist, in part, because of the flow devices installed to keep the beavers from plugging culverts.”
Biologist Skip Lisle has developed these systems for resolving beaver conflicts and will co-lead this outing. Lisle will talk about how the devices work and why he has dedicated his life to helping beavers to do their work.
On Sunday, Oct. 17, the second program, a problem-solving event, will take place in Guilford at the Soszynski Farm, 1136 Guilford Center Rd., at 1 p.m. The pond there is a beaver magnet and previous owners have had a zero-tolerance policy.
Do you get that? Patti will talk about the why of beavers and Skip will talk about the HOW. What a perfect PERFECT combination.
When the Soszynskis moved in, they hoped to have a different relationship with the beavers. Can it be done?
The session will begin with a half-hour presentation in the barn. (Bring a folding chair if you’d like to sit.) Lisle will talk about the solutions he uses to prevent culvert blocking, regulate water levels, and safeguard prized trees. The group will then tour the farm’s beaver wetlands with an eye toward conflict resolution and letting beavers do their work.
How great is that? The new owners are looking for solutions so Skip will present them in the barn to all interested attendees. I couldn’t be any happier with this beaver curriculum if I’d planned it myself.
