Brock Dolman, WATER Institute Co-Director and Assemblymember Damon Connolly promoting the “Beaver Bill” at a recent watershed council gathering.
This summer, WATER Institute Co-Director Brock Dolman attended a gathering of the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council (AGVWC) alongside California Assemblymember Damon Connolly (District 12), to present information about the AB2196 Beaver Bill.
As sponsors of this bill, we’re happy to see this pro-beaver legislation gaining traction at ground level. This bill codifies the Beaver Restoration Program at the California Department of Fish & Wildlife that was created through a budget amendment in 2022. In collaboration with tribes, NGOs, private landowners, and others, the program is implementing beaver translocations and developing California’s first Beaver Management Plan. With the unanimously passed bill, now is a great time to spread the word about the importance of the state’s Beaver Restoration Program through local community groups such as the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council!
Assemblymember Damon Connolly outlines how beaver-based restoration can support Sonoma County land stewards as they manage their lands with healthy watersheds, thriving salmonid populations, and fire resilience in mind
AGVWC projects and initiatives range from tours, workdays, gatherings, and working groups that bring local landowners, government organizations, field experts, and community members together to share knowledge and resources, while engaging in restoration of lands, creeks, farms, and upland areas in the Atascadero Creek and Green Valley Creek watersheds. Their focused working groups such as Salmon Restoration and Fire/Water Land Management make them an ideal audience to share beaver coexistence strategies with.
During this particular gathering, Assemblymember Connolly outlined the connections between the Atascadero and Green Valley Creek watersheds and the myriad beaver-based benefits that would come from working with them to restore watersheds in this part of their historic range. He also offered a brief education on the history of the “Beaver Bill.”
Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council members gather to learn about beaver-based restoration through a lecture (left) and printed publications and resources from the WATER Institute (right).
Brock answered questions from curious community members and shared relevant WATER Institute resources such as our Beaver Coexistence Training & Support Program information, alongside our Basins of Relations and Beaver In California handbooks which each act as critical educational tools for landowners and managers looking to up their water-wise land management. With beavers having successfully returned on their own to the Russian River between Healdsburg and Forestville in 2013, it is critical for all residents of the watershed to know how important these keystone species are to the watershed and what we can do to live harmoniously in their midst.
We’re honored to continue working with Assemblymember Connolly on supporting the outcomes of this bill through localized outreach that encourages Californian communities and land stewards to prioritize beaver-based restoration and coexistence strategies across the state.
