Beavers, Water, and Wildfire (with Jen Clanahan, Colorado Nature League)

On episode 114 of the Green Root Podcast (the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance), Jen Clanahan, executive director of Colorado Nature League, reveals how Colorado State Legislature caved to pressure from hunters, trappers, government agencies (funded by hunting), and even a former “conservation” NGO to kill a bill that would’ve protected beavers from being slaughtered on public lands.

Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Jen about:

-How beavers retain water on the landscape, which studies show can increase resiliency to wildfire;

-How the Colorado House Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources Committee includes public lands ranchers such as Rep. Larry Don Suckla (who, during the hearing, claimed the right to destroy beaver dams so he could run his cattle on public lands);

-How the former “conservation” group, Trout Unlimited, testified AGAINST protecting this crucial wildlife species;

-How, on the same day, the Ag Committee axed a bill that would’ve routed a small portion of “wildfire mitigation” taxpayer funding (nearly all of which goes towards counterproductive industrial logging) towards proven home hardening protections through grants to low-income residents, along with seniors and those with disabilities;

-Jen’s take on a root of the eco-crisis.

The mission of Eco-Integrity Alliance (eco-integrityalliance.org) is to unite U.S. grassroots ecosystem advocates through common campaigns of mutual support.