Photo by Unsplash
Dear Oregon WWP Supporters,
We ask that you take a few minutes today, June 13th, to contact the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Commission and ask that they vote to ban beaver trapping on Oregon’s federal public lands. The next Commission meeting is being held on June 17th when they will be voting for or against this proposal, and they need to hear from you by the comment deadline of today!
The American Beaver, Castor canadensis, is Oregon’s official state animal and our wildlife managers have an opportunity to protect these incredible critters from reckless trapping activities and help naturally restore our riparian ecosystems. The best available science suggests that keeping beavers on the landscape provides tremendous ecological benefits and it is time to move on from 1850-era wildlife management practices.
In your own words, explain why beaver are important to you and ask the Commission to discontinue the trapping of beavers on our federal public lands here in Oregon, because:
- Beavers are mammals native to Oregon that have helped shape and engineer our ecosystems across the state. Their positive contributions have been greatly reduced due to a century and a half of trapping.
- Beaver dams recharge groundwater in riparian systems creating habitat for plant and wildlife species, prevent springs and streams from drying up and provide natural firebreaks on the landscape.
- Native trout and salmon co-evolved with beavers and depend on cold water seeps that they provide as a result of damming water courses, especially in hot, dry ecosystems like the high desert.
- Beavers facilitate the storage of water in upland systems, providing steady flows downstream throughout the year. This is especially important given the historic drought we are experiencing.
Please submit your short comments by the end of the day today (June 13, 2022) to odfw.commission@odfw.oregon.gov and send copies to jason.miner@oregon.gov, curt.melcher@state.or.us, and lubchenco@oregonstate.edu
Thank you for speaking up on behalf of Oregon’s beavers!
For more information, contact Adam Bronstein, adam@westernwatersheds.org
