Please let's solve this beaver issue. I have heard enough beaver blogs. Seriously, we know there is a beaver issue. Is this website used for tweeting? just curious. -Matthew
In my opinion the matter of the beaver is an issue of community concern. Along with damage to the Huntley Hills Park which is of concern to the city, apparently there has been damage in numerous private yards. This information has been gleaned from the HH website conversations. Isn't that the purpose of it? And, at least within the city limits of Chamblee, I think taxpayers would be interested in the workings of the city and how their $$$ is spent. So, even though I treated the matter with some levity, it is very real. And with the help of the city, and this website, I have come up with a solution. I am sorry that you classify this as tweeting, to me it was a great and enlightening conversation among citizens. Viva the electronic age! -Leslie
Jesus people. Enough with the Beaver Crisis. -Steve
As entertaining as the exchange of these emails has been (from both sides). Really, my husband and I have had some good laughs at some of the offered solutions.
I created http://huntleyhillsbeaver.blogspot.com/ to post info about the Huntley Hills Beaver so that everyone's email boxes aren't filled with updates and comments on the beaver. Gives the group the place to check for updates and we can leave this yahoo group out of it until something more has been established as the answer. If you would like to be added as a blog contributor let me know and I will give you the info. Otherwise most info will need to be posted as comments. I tried finding another way to create the site where it would act almost as a bulletin board but didn't have much luck, if someone else has a better idea, it's all yours but thought I would throw this one out there for now.
Thanks,
Melissa
Dear st (whoever you are) and fellow group members,
What about enough with the crime reports, the recommendations for home repair and cleaners, the updates on speed tables and community events and home sales, coyote sightings, lost pets and yes beaver damage? These are all relevant concerns for our neighborhood and I for one don't have a problem with having information and community dialogue. I thought that was what this yahoo group was about. If you don't want to participate and only want to berate people for expressing their concerns don't read the emails or better yet don't respond with negativity (and profanity). Even better yet, remove yourself from the group if it is to bothersome to receive the updates. You can also reconfigure your group settings to receive one daily message with all the threads.
Most of us are trying to be good neighbors and that's what good neighbors do, talk to each other. We're all in this together.
Jim
Friday, August 20, 2010
Emails from 8/19/2010
Last night he came all the way up to my front steps and got my beautiful evergreen dogwood....left me nothing!!! All you kind-hearted beaver sparing wannabes would have the same fit as me if he was systematically destroying your landscape tree by tree by bush. Not only is the dogwood gone but everything planted under and around it was dependent on the shade it provided and now it will all fry. No, I have no doubt, the beaver must go. The army has been called. Will let you all know the prognosis.
Leslie
Leslie, I feel your frustration. We have had to put up fencing and wrapped our dogwood with fencing. There were beaver track going from the creek all the way to our front yard as they made their nightly raids. What's more concerning than the beavers robbing us of our trees is they are building dams. For those of us in the flood zone, this is a concern. I've been reading about beavers causing flooding. It can happen. Let us know if and how we can help.
-Jessica
I am not the Leslie that sent the beaver emails, but I can confirm that last year they were in my backyard in the small feeder creek between Plantation and Ellwyn, behind the tennis courts. They dammed up what little water we had and were well on their way towards creating a lake and flooding everything. We broke up their dam about 4 times and they moved elsewhere. I suggest if you live anywhere near water (or even a dry creek bed), you wire wrap any trees and bushes you would like to keep.
Here's the latest.....I called Public Works to talk to the director, Tillman Hannon, about how to proceed in tackling this RODENT problem. Tillman's out on a much-needed vacation for a few days and, not wanting to let the problem get any worse, talked to Jill about it. She told me that this is way out of JR's scope of expertise and that they had a # for Animal Control Experts who are licensed and certified etc. etc. I called them 1st and set up an appt. for 3:00 then went to City Hall and talked to the City Manager, Jim Gleason, about the on-going issue and responsibility. It is a problem that involves public property in that the creature from the murky lagoon (we call Bubbling Creek) has damaged many of the memorial Japanese Magnolias planted to line the sidewalks of HH Park. He could be/ they also are probably hollowing out dens under the banks of the stream thereby causing or at least adding to the problems that exist with the streambanks being about to cave in. So the Beaver Pod is a nuisance both to the public and to public property as well as private. After my inspection and conversation with said Animal Control Experts, I sent them over to talk to Mr. Gleason. It is now out of my hands and the City will take it from here. I will fence my trees though. Our beaver is rapacious and will not be stopped by mere threats. He will be back for more until he is removed. The ACE people think there are probably multiples. It will be an uneasy sleep for me for the next few nights until there is evidence that they've been caught. I'll let you know.
Leslie
i'm sorry this now hitting ridiculous. -Steve
Leslie
Leslie, I feel your frustration. We have had to put up fencing and wrapped our dogwood with fencing. There were beaver track going from the creek all the way to our front yard as they made their nightly raids. What's more concerning than the beavers robbing us of our trees is they are building dams. For those of us in the flood zone, this is a concern. I've been reading about beavers causing flooding. It can happen. Let us know if and how we can help.
-Jessica
I am not the Leslie that sent the beaver emails, but I can confirm that last year they were in my backyard in the small feeder creek between Plantation and Ellwyn, behind the tennis courts. They dammed up what little water we had and were well on their way towards creating a lake and flooding everything. We broke up their dam about 4 times and they moved elsewhere. I suggest if you live anywhere near water (or even a dry creek bed), you wire wrap any trees and bushes you would like to keep.
Here's the latest.....I called Public Works to talk to the director, Tillman Hannon, about how to proceed in tackling this RODENT problem. Tillman's out on a much-needed vacation for a few days and, not wanting to let the problem get any worse, talked to Jill about it. She told me that this is way out of JR's scope of expertise and that they had a # for Animal Control Experts who are licensed and certified etc. etc. I called them 1st and set up an appt. for 3:00 then went to City Hall and talked to the City Manager, Jim Gleason, about the on-going issue and responsibility. It is a problem that involves public property in that the creature from the murky lagoon (we call Bubbling Creek) has damaged many of the memorial Japanese Magnolias planted to line the sidewalks of HH Park. He could be/ they also are probably hollowing out dens under the banks of the stream thereby causing or at least adding to the problems that exist with the streambanks being about to cave in. So the Beaver Pod is a nuisance both to the public and to public property as well as private. After my inspection and conversation with said Animal Control Experts, I sent them over to talk to Mr. Gleason. It is now out of my hands and the City will take it from here. I will fence my trees though. Our beaver is rapacious and will not be stopped by mere threats. He will be back for more until he is removed. The ACE people think there are probably multiples. It will be an uneasy sleep for me for the next few nights until there is evidence that they've been caught. I'll let you know.
Leslie
i'm sorry this now hitting ridiculous. -Steve
Email chain from 8/18/2010
Sorry friends of wildlife but I have now declared war on the beaver and his friends and family. IT chopped down one of my prized Japanese Maples last night and I just can't take anymore. I had hoped IT had found a home and a way to peacefully coexist with the HUMANS but nooooo....he had to cross the street. Circle the wagons, put on the coffee, it's gonna be a long battle! -Leslie
Yes! The beavers must go. Count me in.
They chewed a foot-and-a-half of bark off my dogwood and mowed down all of my blackberry bushes! -Andy
Are there humane alternatives to helping him find his way? -Heather
I'm online looking right now. -Leslie
Leslie,
Appreciate your frustration. Have you gotten the City of Chamblee Animal Control involved? Not meaning to ask a silly question for I assume you have already done this.
Tom
I got the city's animal control as well as public works and the chief of police involved. Catching a beaver is a job for professionally trained wildlife specialists. There are none employed by the city. -Leslie
Leslie, When I inquired about catching the coyote/s in the 'hood I was basically told that they couldn't catch a beaver so what made me think they could get a coyote? I wish you good fortune on your great quest. Maybe you can introduce the beaver and coyote and let nature take it's course... -Cordelia
Best idea yet Cordelia. Thanks. -Leslie
I'm with you. They are out of control. Karen has lost at least 2 maples and I don't know what else. They took a maple from the corner of plantation and commander - right next to the road by the pool. They/IT took most of my dwarf japanese maple by the garage and have probably caused enough damage to 2 of my kwasan cherry trees to kill them - pulled the bark off. Also chewed on my red maple in the front yard. They also like hydrangeas, sweet shrub, azaleas, ferns, ......-Allison
Hi Leslie-
As a weekend gardener, I do understand your frustration but I hope you'll reconsider how you deal with the beaver(s). With the boon building that has occurred all around us, HH is one of the last refuges they have. Japanese maples are expensive indeed, but the little guys have nowhere else to go.
Thanks!
Steve
Hi Steve,
How 'bout we send them all to your yard?
Leslie
Sure no problem! With the drought I've lost so many plants it wouldn't bother me a bit, and I'd feel good about my priorities. Ship em over! I'll even feed the lil buggers -Steve
Wish I could make that happen. Think they'd follow a trail of wood chips? Last year when the mammalian wood chippers got started mowing the japanese magnolias down in HH Park I convinced the City of Chamblee to hire a trapper who agreed to relocate it/them to one of my landscape clients' property on Lake Allatoona. We spent $600 and they never caught the beaver. You know why? It is next to impossible to trap a beaver! They're very smart, and high strung. Even if you catch one in a trap, it will probably die of a heart attack en route to it's new home. The trapper didn't tell me that until after we'd paid him for 3 weeks and nada. Needless to say, the City just laughed at me when I asked again. So what to do? Tonight I will protect all I can on my property with wire fencing....in the long run the beaver/s have to go. I'm not the only one who thinks so either. IT has been making the rounds of other properties along the creeks. All kidding aside, we do need a solution. -Leslie
I'm sorry, but did you actually catch IT tearing down your tree on your Beaver Cam? I mean, you can't just go around accusing innocent beavers. Maybe you should call the CPD and have them come out to dust for prints. -Rebecca
There are teeth marks on the tree trunk and the branches with leaves are in the creek, exactly where the beaver was dumping his take last year and in the same manner. The evidence speaks for itself. You must all understand, last year I took up for this beaver, I believe in live and let live. I practice it daily. I grow bronze fennel, passionflower and spicebush FOR the caterpillars that feed on those plants every year. I feed the birds and encourage the lizards to live in my yard. But if a coyote killed your dog or a raccoon threatened your kid, wouldn't you take steps to protect yours? (And, by the way, I let the raccoons eat the peaches from my trees without going after them). There is a line. Mine has been crossed. I have done my part to find other means.... so far nothing has worked. -Leslie
Maybe we should get a group together and go downstream (or is it upstream?). My husband, John, and I have been down it before with Kay’s clean-up crews in the past. I’m up for it. If the county will do it great, but with the cutbacks I wouldn’t bet on it. -Karen
I would love to walk the creek again. It's alot of fun to me. However that beaver probably lives under the banks where it is undercut at the Longview/Admiral intersection at HH Park, although Leslie F. said she thought he had taken up residence in the ravine in her backyard some months ago. But I will take you up on your offer. Taste of Chamblee is Saturday and I have volunteered to pour wine but I could go Sunday or any other day of your choice. Anyone else up for it? Heather, how about you? -Leslie
Yes! The beavers must go. Count me in.
They chewed a foot-and-a-half of bark off my dogwood and mowed down all of my blackberry bushes! -Andy
Are there humane alternatives to helping him find his way? -Heather
I'm online looking right now. -Leslie
Leslie,
Appreciate your frustration. Have you gotten the City of Chamblee Animal Control involved? Not meaning to ask a silly question for I assume you have already done this.
Tom
I got the city's animal control as well as public works and the chief of police involved. Catching a beaver is a job for professionally trained wildlife specialists. There are none employed by the city. -Leslie
Leslie, When I inquired about catching the coyote/s in the 'hood I was basically told that they couldn't catch a beaver so what made me think they could get a coyote? I wish you good fortune on your great quest. Maybe you can introduce the beaver and coyote and let nature take it's course... -Cordelia
Best idea yet Cordelia. Thanks. -Leslie
I'm with you. They are out of control. Karen has lost at least 2 maples and I don't know what else. They took a maple from the corner of plantation and commander - right next to the road by the pool. They/IT took most of my dwarf japanese maple by the garage and have probably caused enough damage to 2 of my kwasan cherry trees to kill them - pulled the bark off. Also chewed on my red maple in the front yard. They also like hydrangeas, sweet shrub, azaleas, ferns, ......-Allison
Hi Leslie-
As a weekend gardener, I do understand your frustration but I hope you'll reconsider how you deal with the beaver(s). With the boon building that has occurred all around us, HH is one of the last refuges they have. Japanese maples are expensive indeed, but the little guys have nowhere else to go.
Thanks!
Steve
Hi Steve,
How 'bout we send them all to your yard?
Leslie
Sure no problem! With the drought I've lost so many plants it wouldn't bother me a bit, and I'd feel good about my priorities. Ship em over! I'll even feed the lil buggers -Steve
Wish I could make that happen. Think they'd follow a trail of wood chips? Last year when the mammalian wood chippers got started mowing the japanese magnolias down in HH Park I convinced the City of Chamblee to hire a trapper who agreed to relocate it/them to one of my landscape clients' property on Lake Allatoona. We spent $600 and they never caught the beaver. You know why? It is next to impossible to trap a beaver! They're very smart, and high strung. Even if you catch one in a trap, it will probably die of a heart attack en route to it's new home. The trapper didn't tell me that until after we'd paid him for 3 weeks and nada. Needless to say, the City just laughed at me when I asked again. So what to do? Tonight I will protect all I can on my property with wire fencing....in the long run the beaver/s have to go. I'm not the only one who thinks so either. IT has been making the rounds of other properties along the creeks. All kidding aside, we do need a solution. -Leslie
I'm sorry, but did you actually catch IT tearing down your tree on your Beaver Cam? I mean, you can't just go around accusing innocent beavers. Maybe you should call the CPD and have them come out to dust for prints. -Rebecca
There are teeth marks on the tree trunk and the branches with leaves are in the creek, exactly where the beaver was dumping his take last year and in the same manner. The evidence speaks for itself. You must all understand, last year I took up for this beaver, I believe in live and let live. I practice it daily. I grow bronze fennel, passionflower and spicebush FOR the caterpillars that feed on those plants every year. I feed the birds and encourage the lizards to live in my yard. But if a coyote killed your dog or a raccoon threatened your kid, wouldn't you take steps to protect yours? (And, by the way, I let the raccoons eat the peaches from my trees without going after them). There is a line. Mine has been crossed. I have done my part to find other means.... so far nothing has worked. -Leslie
Maybe we should get a group together and go downstream (or is it upstream?). My husband, John, and I have been down it before with Kay’s clean-up crews in the past. I’m up for it. If the county will do it great, but with the cutbacks I wouldn’t bet on it. -Karen
I would love to walk the creek again. It's alot of fun to me. However that beaver probably lives under the banks where it is undercut at the Longview/Admiral intersection at HH Park, although Leslie F. said she thought he had taken up residence in the ravine in her backyard some months ago. But I will take you up on your offer. Taste of Chamblee is Saturday and I have volunteered to pour wine but I could go Sunday or any other day of your choice. Anyone else up for it? Heather, how about you? -Leslie
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