Living with Beaver Workshops
Why Living with Beaver Workshops?
Do you have beaver on land that you own or manage and need information and tools to manage them?
Do you see some benefits from having beaver, but also have problems with them?
When new beaver show up on your land, have you been thinking about allowing them to stay, but are concerned about what the long-term consequences might be?
Maybe you’ve heard about “beaver dam analogs” or “beaver mimicry” two concepts that aim to replace beaver structures with human constructed check dams. Maybe you are wondering if constructing and maintaining check dams is a better way to go?
Seventh Generation Institute is pleased to offer Living with Beaver workshops that answer these questions and teach practical beaver co-existence skills.
No tool is perfect and that includes beaver as a stream restoration and climate change adaptation tool. While beaver can do great things to restore streams, create wildlife habitat, increase forage production, etc., they also can plug up culverts, put dams in places where they are unwanted, and other mischief.
“Thanks for the great workshop. My time was well spent and I learned a tremendous amount.”
“I think your workshop was a huge success for those that attended …. It was very professional and worthwhile from all the comments and feedback that I received.”
If beaver are to gain acceptance as a stream restoration tool, we must have accurate information and practical techniques to manage them. That is precisely what the Institute's workshops deliver. These workshops were developed expressly for ranchers and tested by ranchers who have declared themselves happy customers. The workshops are great for other large land owners and managers as well, such as natural preserves, parks, or utility company land holdings.
When and How Long?
Interested in scheduling a workshop on your ranch or for agencies, on public lands that you manage?
Dates are open in spring, summer and fall, we will make effort to schedule dates that work for you, rather than setting fixed dates. Just email us.
A typical workshop runs two full days of intensive training. Shorter options are available.
What Will Participants Learn?
Workshops include the Institute's film, Rethinking Beaver: old nuisance or new partner? This film features 6 ranchers and one early "pioneer" in the use of beaver as a stream restoration tool, from Nevada, Idaho and New Mexico, talking straight to other ranchers about the pros and cons of beaver.
In-depth information on beaver effects on the landscape and streamscape: forage production, wildlife habitat improvement, water quality, changes in erosion and timing of water flows, and more.
And the best part - the hands-on building of flow devices and other activities. Workshop participants will be doing this themselves - and if possible, the constructed devices will be immediately installed and used on the ranch hosting the workshop.
Other hands-on activities can include tree protection, encouraging beaver to move onto your property, and live trapping for relocation. Some degree of customization is possible. Contact us to discuss.
There's also plenty of time for questions, discussion, sharing of beaver stories, and meeting new people.
Cost?
Workshop costs are $3000 base plus instructor travel expenses and materials to be used in the workshop to build flow devices and other activities. The latter vary by site.
There are many ways to cover workshop costs but the most common is to spread the cost among participants by charging a fee.
Reduced cost workshops are sometimes available depending on receipt of donations earmarked to subsidize these workshops.
Instructors?
All workshops are taught by Bill Morris and Cathryn Wild who have been working with every aspect of beaver - mostly on ranches - since 2008 - trapping, relocations, flow devices, construction of beaver dam analogs, and more.
Who Should Attend?
Workshops are for private land owners and managers and public land managers who manage land, water, and fish and wildlife. We do not offer workshops nor accept enrollment at workshops from the general public, consultants, for-profit businesses, or personnel from other nonprofit conservation organizations.
Why? First, the workshop is not appropriate for the general public. It is not a “learn about beaver” day, but rather very focused on managing beaver impacts. Second, as a nonprofit conservation organization, Seventh Generation Institute cannot offer this workshop to the those listed above because it constitutes job training or education which are outside our mission. In addition, the low cost of the workshop is made possible through donations that are specifically directed to developing practical skills for land owners and managers.
Minimum enrollment is 8 persons. Maximum enrollment is 20 persons. Participants must be at least 18 years of age.
Contact us for more info and any questions.