Oregon: The Beaver State

fact

Bobcat

Bobcat

Found only in North America, where it is the most common wildcat, the bobcat takes its common name from its stubby, or “bobbed,” tail. The cats range in length from two to four feet and weigh 14 to 29 pounds. Bobcats mainly hunt rabbits and hares, but they will also eat rodents, birds, bats, and even adult deer.

Latin name: Lynx rufus fasciatus

 

fact

What defines Oregon’s high desert?

What defines Oregon’s high desert?

Bounded by the Cascade Mountains to the west and the Blue Mountains to the north, Oregon’s high desert covers approximately 24,000 square miles. Annual rainfall in the high desert varies from 5 to 14 inches. The average elevation is 4,000 feet; at 9,733 feet, the summit of Steens Mountain is the highest point in Oregon’s high desert. The terrain of the high desert was mostly formed by a series of lava flows that occurred between 30 and 10 million years ago.

Sources: The Oregon Encyclopedia; Wikipedia  

voices

Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member

Helen Harbin, ONDA Board Member

“I connect with Oregon’s high desert through my feet, my eyes, my sense of smell, and all the things I hear. Getting out there is a whole body experience.” Supporting ONDA, Helen says, not only connects her with wild landscapes, but is also a good investment. “I felt like if I gave them $20, they might squeeze $23 out of it.”

Step 1: Pound in posts

Step 2: Weave in branches

Step 3: Add mud and rocks to plug up the dam

Step 4: Let nature take over

ONDA’s Contribution

Since 2009, ONDA has built dozens of BDAs in the John Day, Malheur and Crooked River watersheds, working in close collaboration with the land managers in each of these regions.

While the work at Bridge Creek is definitely the best known in the state, one of the most rewarding projects is underway on Pine Creek Conservation Area. ONDA volunteers have spent a decade helping restore beaver habitat here. In 2015 volunteers constructed the first 15 BDAs on the creek. Within a year and a half, local beavers responded by outbuilding us more than 10 to one, and dramatically transforming and recovering entire reaches of the creek. This year, we will complete the final 30 BDAs on this creek, with high hopes for continued changes in the coming years.

Installing BDAs costs significantly less than traditional restoration methods, where large machinery is required to reconstruct sharply cut stream banks. And the lower price point isn’t the only advantage that BDAs have over other techniques.

As Ben Goldfarb, author of the new book Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, told us, In our screen-dominated world, the opportunity to get out onto spectacular public lands, swing a sledgehammer, and work on behalf of nature is a rare and precious thing. Sure, using volunteers is cost-effective — but it’s also a chance to teach people about the value of beavers, fish habitat, and healthy aquatic ecosystems, and to cultivate a sense of stewardship in the next generation of conservationists.”

ONDA’s mission to conserve public lands and push for more areas to be protected as Wilderness helps beaver ecology as well. Stopping large-scale human interferences is often the most important, first step to recovery. Returning areas to their natural state is not simply for appreciating the intrinsic value of nature. Economists and scientists worldwide have begun recognizing the high price of ecosystem services. Global estimates put the value of ecosystem services in the trillions, and according to the BBC’s Earth Index, a single beaver can provide $120,000 worth of services (2). Every time we successfully secure more protected lands, we recover these services. When ONDA volunteers lend a helping hand through restoration projects, such as installing BDAs, we recover these valuable services sooner – and right now Mother Nature needs every extra minute we can give her.

Quick Facts
  • Weighing in at an average of 65 pounds, beaver are the largest rodent in the U.S.
  • The longest recorded beaver dam is 850 meters.
  • Before colonization, an estimated 250 million beaver ponds covered what is now the U.S. This many dams could hold back enough water to submerge Washington, Oregon, and California.

About the Author

Shea Stobaugh is a frequent ONDA volunteer, both in the office and in the field. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in environmental bioscience and geographic information services. She is interested in gathering geographic information in the field to help further environmental goals and passionate about encouraging politicians to address environmental issues.