Now this is the perfect headline to flood my mailbox over and over. A girl could get used to this.
Restoring habitats could save a fifth of species from climate risks, says report
Nature group Rewilding Britain estimates the country’s “climate zones” – made up of the climatic conditions of an area – are shifting by up to 5km (3 miles) a year due to temperatures rises driven by human activity. That is far faster than many species of plants and animals which are adapted to live within those zones can shift their ranges, putting them at risk of population declines and even extinctions, it warns.
But restoring habitats across 30% of Britain’s land and sea by 2030 could help save a fifth of species from habitat loss, declines or extinctions, according to a report by the organisation that draws on existing research. It is calling for the creation of core “rewilding” areas covering 5% of Britain, which would mean large-scale restoration of natural processes and systems where nature can take care of itself.
Hmm. A fifth of species is a lot of species. Any particular recommendations for candidates that might help with that?
This could include allowing woodland to regenerate naturally, returning areas to a more natural state through removing dams on rivers or rewetting drained peatbogs and reintroducing key species such as beavers or birds of prey.
Well, yes. and duh. Get on it.
A first step is to improve the state of existing wildlife sites to ensure they have thriving wildlife populations that can withstand and adapt to changing conditions. But this is not enough on its own, the study said.
Oh and maybe stop frigging killing the beaver you have in Scotland.
The network of nature reserves and protected areas across Britain is too small and fragmented to support species on the move. And in the future they may no longer be in the right climate zone for some of the species they safeguard.
Are you sure it’s just a fifth they could help? That seems a little low to me.
But folks just keep right on killing them. There’s even a new TV program coming up about how to kill them better.
Local man to be featured on Pursuit Channel
Greenville native Doug Boswell will be featured in a television program for his talents as a trapper. The 2000 graduate of Greenville High School will appear in January on the Pursuit Channel’s “Trapping Across America” series.
Boswell said he will appear in episode three.
“I worked for the Butler County Road department when I got out of high school,” he said. “I was on the beaver control unit and busted up beaver houses. They build these dams in front of the pipes. It causes a lot of wear and tear on the pipes. I was introduced to the other aspect through that.”
Now, he specializing in trapping beavers and getting them out of the area to prevent them from building dams.
“It’s a more efficient way of allocating tax dollars,” he said.
To which the only obvious response is, “There is something called the PURSUIT channel?” I guess it’s probably not about dreams of community college, huh? Sure he specializes in beavers. But he never bothered to learn even the simplest fact that beaver dams aren’t HOUSES, because he’s an idiot. And in Alabama where we will never know any better.
Let’s wash that unpleasant taste out of our mouths with this fine article from our friends in Napa.
Busy Beavers! Unlikely Watershed Heroes on the Napa River
Have you heard about the beavers in Napa? Look closely and you might spot a beaver dam or lodge in our local waterway The hard work of beavers can be seen all along the Napa River and its tributaries. Scientists and biologists working in our local waterways estimate there to be at least 20 different colonies (families of beavers) spotted as far up the valley as St. Helena. In Napa, the Tulocay Creek colony has grown popular among locals; mama beaver and her kits (babies) are regularly featured in the Napa Valley Register.
It might seem novel to find these industrious builders in our downtown and neighborhood waterways, but beavers can be traced back to the Napa River for centuries. For many years, scientists were misinformed about the habitats and behaviors of beavers in Northern California and did not consider beavers native to the waterways that feed into the San Francisco Bay. Recently, historians and scientists with the California Department of Fish and Game presented evidence that challenged long held beliefs about where beavers belong, and ecologists are establishing important links between the presence of beavers and the health of our watersheds.
Hahahahahaha. You know how many historians there are in the department of fish and game? Oh right NONE. That exhaustive groundbreaking research was the unpaid work of a physician, a psychologist, a retired archeologist and some stream keepers. But sure. Just thank CDFW. I’m nothing if not practical. And it can’t hurt.
Beavers are a keystone species in the wetland ecosystem. They play a critical role in providing beneficial habitat and food for a wide range of species, who otherwise wouldn’t be able to thrive in the Napa River. Dams form reservoirs that provide food and shelter for creatures of all sizes, keep water temperatures cooler throughout the warm summer months, and filter fine sediment in water to improve water quality. This provides ideal conditions for the young of threatened species such as chinook salmon and steelhead trout to thrive. Visit a local beaver dam downtown or on Tulocay creek, and you can see a wide range of animals, including turtles, otters, mink, and birds. Beavers transform our waterways from channels prone to erosion to oases of ecological diversity.
Wow. That’s certainly nice to see. Credit where credit is due.
In Napa County, we recognize the valuable contribution of the beavers to our watershed; government organizations including the Flood Control and Water Conservation District as well as the Resource Conservation District work to help beavers and people coexist. Engineers, scientists, and biologists work to make sure development in the valley doesn’t drive the beavers away from their homes, and work with local residents and businesses to prevent and mitigate damages done by beavers as they chew down trees and raise water levels in creeks.
Gosh. That’s rare. An entire county that recognizes the valuable work beavers do. Rusty’s awesome photos and Robin’s tireless advovacy are responsible for a huge part of that. OAEC education onsight helped a lot, and I like to think we in Martinez played our little part in getting it started. And beavers themselves did the rest. Unfortunately seeing beavers as an ally is rare.
Too dam rare.
