In March, the Colorado legislature considered House Bill 26-1323, “Wildfire Resiliency Prohibiting Taking of Beavers,” sponsored by HD57 Rep Elizabeth Velasco. The proposed legislation would limit hunting or killing of beavers on public lands to protect the animals and stabilize their role in ecosystems, which also serves as a mode of wildfire management.
The Colorado Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee voted 10-3 against the bill on March 23, postponing it indefinitely.
The Sopris Sun connected with Roaring Fork Valley locals who testified during the committee hearing to learn more about the bill and contrasting perspectives. Delia Malone is the chair of the Roaring Fork chapter of the Sierra Club and an avid animal rights activist. Sheehan Meagher works to promote biodiversity and resiliency in the Valley, which includes working with Roaring Fork Audubon to improve beavers’ habitats. Meagher is also the outdoor programs coordinator with Wilderness Workshop. Both testified in favor of the proposal.
Malone shared insights about how issues are elevated to state-level consideration. She said that efforts include: “working with legislative sponsors and their staff to draft the bill’s language; working and negotiating with other legislators to gain their support for the bill; educating and working with the public to gain their support for the bill; and, of course, outreach to individuals and groups to speak in support of the bill.”
House District 57 covers Pitkin, Garfield and sections of Eagle County. Therefore, Velasco’s constituents are people in close proximity to the White River National Forest, major Colorado River tributaries, many designated wilderness areas and Bureau of Land Management leased or protected public land.
Meagher discussed contrasting outlooks on HB 26-1323.
“The majority of differences from the outdoor space comes from different philosophies on how they view humans’ place in the web of life,” he said, before elaborating on his own point of view. “We do not view ourselves superior to beavers and want to promote co-existence with these dynamic, semi-aquatic keystone species … because we realize the value they bring to ecosystems they inhabit.”
To him, the testimony was divided between parties arguing for hunting rights and those arguing for protecting ecosystems. Both Malone and Meagher emphasized that beaver impacts on ecosystems slow flows of water, which can help protect foliage and fauna alike during drought.
Despite the bill not getting through committee, other state policies related to beavers and their impact on ecosystems will move forward this year. Malone stated that Colorado Public Wildlife’s Beaver Management Plan, finalized in February, is likely to be approved in May.
“The plan provides guidance for how to implement nonlethal coexistence between beavers and humans, which will enable beaver populations to grow and disperse into their historic habitats,” she said.
However, Malone has some reservations about that plan in its current form.
“The plan, which can still be changed, continues to allow beaver hunting and trapping on public lands, which, in my opinion, undermines the essential benefits that beavers can bring to restoring our public lands,” she said.
Meagher emphasized that nonprofits and other stakeholders are working with the Forest Service to promote existing beaver activity in the Roaring Fork Valley.
“Colorado Wild and Roaring Fork Audubon are doing educational events nearly every month with various groups to educate [people] about the importance of beavers on the ecosystem and [to] promote coexistence strategies,” he said. “Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers. Wilderness Workshop and the Forest Service, along with Roaring Fork Audubon, are installing beaver dam analogs up Four Mile Creek this summer, where beavers aren’t present, to mimic their benefits on the landscape.”
“Roughly 75% of Roaring Fork Valley land is public lands, and beaver is only present in pockets of our watershed. We lack a lot of connectivity,” he continued. “Pitkin County Healthy Rivers has been a great resource in picking up funding of water quality studies that the US government stopped.”
He added that Roaring Fork Audubon and other groups have been working with local landowners and livestock managers to implement nonlethal strategies when beavers move into ditches or other areas close to humans or agriculture. Conversations around beaver restoration continue locally and at the state level. Some stakeholders arguing to preserve the ability to hunt or lethally remove beavers have claimed that the loss of a few animals does not impact the ecosystem as a whole. Conversely, beaver advocates have cited a lack of habitat connectivity as well as research indicating that beaver habitats mitigate drought and make ecosystems more resilient to wildfires.