Posted under government & local wildlife
It looks like curtains for the Martinez Beavers as we’ve known them (type “Beavers” in the search box to see more blog entries about these wonderful animals): the City is planning to remove their lodge in order to do creek bank stabilization (which means, in this case, putting more concrete and rocks into the east bank of the creek). It’s an all too typical story, stretching back a few decades in this case: first, property owners hem in a creek by building closer and closer to it on each side. Then, the creek floods, and the property owners and/or the city build retaining walls to contain the creek. During non-flood years, the walls give the property owners the sense of security they need to justify building even closer to the creek; eventually they’re right on top of it. Then, something happens — a high water year, or some beavers that build dams and a lodge, or just aging of the infrastructure — that threatens the retaining walls. The property owners sue the city, the city caves, and public money is spent to mitigate the problem. We’ve seen it in New Orleans and Galveston on a large scale, and we’re seeing it in Martinez on a small scale.
Personally, I can’t say one way or the other whether the beaver lodge is actually undermining the retaining wall next to the creek. I can say that I think it’s ridiculous that people were allowed to build a building four feet from the creek bank, as they did. A better solution than trying to maintain a permanent wall there would be to add some meander to the creek to take it away from that wall. Apparently that isn’t even being considered, I’m not sure why.
There’s no plan to kill the beavers, just to wreck their home so they have to move elsewhere. I hope they move somewhere else where they are more welcome; although they have had many great, great fans and helpers in Martinez, the city as a whole has treated them badly right from the start. It’s sad.
Heidi on 30 Sep 2008 at 9:45 am #
Dear, dear bird & beaver friend. Your touching acknowledgment of their predicament reminds me that there are good and compassionate voices in this world. Thanks for all you support.
Julian Frazer on 30 Sep 2008 at 9:27 pm #
The lodge is not distroyed, sheet pilies are aready in the lodge area for a past project. Additional piles are to be added and a few will be might be in the lodge area. This can be remedied by monitoring the installation area.
What is being left out is the entire creek is the beavers home, other lodges exist and the beaver move to those. This wall will take away the augument of beaver poperty disstruction real or preceived, which is the case. This will hopefully end the idea of moving the beaver. The beaver will stay not move, food will determine the beaver migration. This our hope to keep the beaver in place.
I informed the city that moving the beaver was a bad idea 2 years ago and see this as a solution the beaver will stay.
admin on 01 Oct 2008 at 12:44 am #
I hope you’re right, Julian. Maybe the beavers will just move upstream or downstream a bit, and all will be well. But I’m not very optimistic. Upstream, they’ll run into the same problems they have where they are, with concerns about flooding and property damage. If they move downstream very far, they’ll be in the tidal area that I think isn’t good for beavers— at any rate I’ve never heard of salt water beeavers! But maybe they can find the middle ground, literally and figuratively.
I wonder if the city has considered buying the property adjacent to the creek. If they’re talking about spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for a temporary fix — and the creek will still be flowing just a few feet from the structure of the foundation — then over the long run they’re looking at even more, maybe over a million bucks. For that kind of money, could they buy the adjacent restaurant, or maybe even buy the land and move the structure? Seems like it might be cheaper in the long run.
At any rate, the beavers have been the best thing about Martinez from my point of view. I really hope things somehow work out for them.
Julian Frazer on 01 Oct 2008 at 7:20 am #
This in not a temporary fix. By the way I believed in everythining you said. This a real time situation.
Beaver already live in tidal areas some without dams. These came from up the bay.
The point is this is the city’s comfort zone right or wrong. It is a political choice. And the beaver stay, are not trap and moved.
To some beaver supporters this is scarey.
I too have talked to beaver biologist who have said beaver are resilent and would stay in the area and will come back to the lodge.
My name is required what’s yours are living in Martinez.
Email your phone or email address and we can talk. I spent several months on the Martinez Beaver committee standing up to the attorney against the beaver it was painful, if this opprotunity is lost it will be more painful.
As to the money although the beaver are not the real reason for the money spent. When is the last time money was spent to keep wildlife, plenty is spent to kill wildlife everyday.
Black Cat on 24 Oct 2008 at 8:53 am #
Thanks for your new post, Phil - I finally checked out the Martinez beaver site. Apparently the mom has an injured eye (now improving), and one can only hope that it was a natural if unfortunate mishap and not related to the heavy-duty uproar, pilings, etc. This is getting pretty broad coverage. An entry linking to the LA Times also mentions that “a friend” from the Urban Creeks Council was “alarmed,” citing the lack of a straight-down soil sample before work began…But from what you’ve said, it sounds like they’ve been making terrible decisions for decades. And are destroying one of their own treasures. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for those beavers and their future, wherever it may be.
Baby Doll Prom Dresses on 04 Jun 2013 at 8:08 am #
Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is excellent blog. An excellent read. I’ll certainly be back.