Latest news with #JaroslavObermajer
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Officials surprised to find major public works project completed by wild animals: 'Better than when we design it on paper'
Nature stepped in after a crucial project in the Czech Republic stalled, surprising local authorities and saving them the equivalent of nearly $1.5 million. As reported by Radio Prague International, a beaver colony in the Brdy region became an overnight sensation when officials realized the creatures had built a dam exactly where they needed it. "Beavers always know best. The places where they build dams are always chosen just right — better than when we design it on paper," said Jaroslav Obermajer, head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, or AOPK. Despite the beavers' sudden fame, Gerhard Schwab, the Federal Nature Conservation Association's beaver manager for the southern part of Bavaria, told National Geographic he didn't buy the idea that the creatures completed the dam in one night. "I could as well believe that the pyramids were built in one week," he said, suggesting that the construction likely occurred over several weeks before people noticed. While beavers can sometimes create problems for humans — like when a Lanškroun-area dam ended up flooding fields and a railway line, as AOPK spokeswoman Karolína Šůlová pointed out to Radio Prague International — they can also help prevent flooding and create firebreaks, which protect property by stopping or slowing wildfires. And as opposed to human-built dams that frequently disrupt the protective natural balance of ecosystems, reducing water quality and biodiversity, the new no-cost Brdy dam is expected to support numerous wetland species, including frogs and the rare stone crayfish. Beaver-built dams can provide benefits beyond what may be initially apparent, too, according to science journalist Ben Goldfarb, who discussed the matter with National Geographic. "At this point, nothing that beavers do surprises me," said Goldfarb, who explained that an Oregon beaver dam filtered heavy metals and other toxic pollutants around two times better than a multimillion-dollar stormwater treatment facility. In Europe, native beavers were on the verge of extinction from hunting, but reintroduction efforts have helped them bounce back from the brink. Goldfarb gave local Czech authorities props for recognizing how the creatures' dam was a boon to the nearby community. Do you think governments should ban the production of gas-powered lawn equipment? Absolutely Yes — but not yet I don't know Heck no Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "Instead of saying, 'That wasn't what we planned originally,' they recognized that these animals are filling that ecological function very well and said, 'We're going to let them keep doing it,'" he said. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Beavers finish seven-year dam project in two days
A colony of beavers has saved the Czech government almost £1 million after completing a stalled dam project themselves. Despite a seven-year planning process and successfully securing the funding, the Czech Republic's plans to build a new dam in the Brdy region came to a standstill as authorities struggled to acquire building permits. However, it was the arrival of eight hard-working beavers that finally got the job done. Speaking to Radio Prague, Jaroslav Obermajer, head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, said: 'Beavers always know best.' Using their powerful incisors, the semi-aquatic rodents fell trees to create wetland areas – known as 'beaver ponds' – which they then use as sources of food and protection from predators. The human project had aimed to restore the area to its natural state, decades after soldiers at a military base built a bypass gully which had drained the area. According to the Brdy Protected Land Administration (PLA), which was managing the human project, the beavers constructed dams in almost the same spots that constructions were planned. 'The Military Forest Management and the Vltava River Basin were negotiating with each other to set up the project and address issues regarding ownership of land. The beavers beat them to it, saving us CZK 30 million (£994,000),' said Bohumil Fišer, the Brdy PlA chief. 'They built the dams without any project documentation and for free.' Mr Obermajor added: 'The places where they build dams are always chosen just right — better than when we design it on paper.' Ecologists tasked with inspecting the dams have said they will last a long time and create good conditions for the rare stone crayfish, frogs, and other species that thrive on wetlands. 'We are already seeing the emergence of a small pond and surrounding wetland there,' the PLA said in a statement, adding that the eight beavers were still hard at work creating new wetlands. Beavers are 'ecosystem engineers' meaning they modify their environment to create resources, and their dams can stretch for miles. The largest beaver dam recorded is in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, stretching the length of seven football fields – so big it is even visible from space. In another case, when beavers built dams on the property of a large stormwater treatment facility in Oregon, scientists discovered that the animals' structures were able to filter out heavy metals and other pollutants about twice as effectively as the human-built structures. In 2023, California introduced a beaver-assisted restoration programme so the animals could create a healthy ecosystem for other animals, replenish groundwater and even provide wildfire protection. In the UK, where beavers were once hunted to extinction for their fur and a natural secretion called castoreum which is used for perfumes and medicines, they have also now been successfully reintroduced. A trial in Devon between 2015 to 2020 saw the first wild breeding of beavers in 400 years. 'Beaver wetlands are a paradise for many animals and plants. They are stable ecosystems that contribute to the diversity of our landscape,' said the PLA. 'Beavers are returning the landscape altered by humans to its natural beauty.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pricey Dam Project 7 Years In The Making Finished By Beavers For Free
When a long-planned infrastructure project in the Czech Republic hit a snag, beavers took the reins. Beavers have no regard for human laws, so even if they'd known that the construction of a dam in the nation's Brdy region had stalled due to permitting complications, they wouldn't have cared. According to Radio Prague International, environmentalists had planned a dam in an area where, years ago, the military had built a drainage system. The new dam was intended to stop the drainage and create a wetland to revitalize the local ecosystem. The project had been in the planning stages for seven years, and was slated to cost the equivalent of $1.2 million, according to National Geographic. But as officials hashed out the details of securing the necessary permits, a local beaver colony took matters into its own paws, building a natural dam in the perfect location to create a thriving wetland for free. 'Beavers always know best,' Jaroslav Obermajer of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency told RPI. 'The places where they build dams are always chosen just right — better than when we design it on paper.' The Czech broadcasting station characterized the beaver dam as being built 'practically overnight.' But Gerhard Schwab, a beaver expert in Bavaria, told National Geographic it probably wasn't literally overnight. He believes it's more likely that the dam took a few weeks, but people didn't notice until it was done. Humans across the world are increasingly embracing the benefits of beaver structural engineering. In 2023, California introduced a policy aimed at restoring the animals in areas where their presence ― and the dams they build― can create a healthy ecosystem for other animals, replenish groundwater and even provide wildfire protection. California Aims To Tap Beavers To Help With Water And Wildfire Issues Rogue Beaver Apprehended After Trashing Store That Sells Fake Trees Injured Baby Beaver Enjoys Some R&R After Golf Course Rescue
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Beavers finish seven-year dam project in two days
A colony of beavers has saved the Czech government almost £1 million after completing a stalled dam project themselves. Despite a seven-year planning process and successfully securing the funding, the Czech Republic's plans to build a new dam in the Brdy region came to a standstill as authorities struggled to acquire building permits. However, it was the arrival of eight hard-working beavers that finally got the job done. Speaking to Radio Prague, Jaroslav Obermajer, head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, said: 'Beavers always know best.' Using their powerful incisors, the semi-aquatic rodents fell trees to create wetland areas – known as 'beaver ponds' – which they then use as sources of food and protection from predators. The human project had aimed to restore the area to its natural state, decades after soldiers at a military base built a bypass gully which had drained the area. According to the Brdy Protected Land Administration (PLA), which was managing the human project, the beavers constructed dams in almost the same spots that constructions were planned. 'The beavers beat [us] to it, saving us CZK 30 million (£994,000),' said Bohumil Fišer, the Brdy PLA chief. 'They built the dams without any project documentation and for free.' Ecologists tasked with inspecting the dams have said they will last a long time and create good conditions for the rare stone crayfish, frogs, and other species that thrive on wetlands. 'We are already seeing the emergence of a small pond and surrounding wetland there,' the PLA said in a statement, adding that the eight beavers were still hard at work creating new wetlands. Beavers are 'ecosystem engineers' meaning they modify their environment to create resources, and their dams can stretch for miles. The largest beaver dam recorded is in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, stretching the length of seven football fields – so big it is even visible from space. In another case, when beavers built dams on the property of a large stormwater treatment facility in Oregon, scientists discovered that the animals' structures were able to filter out heavy metals and other pollutants about twice as effectively as the human-built structures. 'Beaver wetlands are a paradise for many animals and plants. They are stable ecosystems that contribute to the diversity of our landscape,' said the PLA. 'Beavers are returning the landscape altered by humans to its natural beauty.'
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Beavers complete government's seven-year dam project in two days
A colony of beavers has saved the Czech government almost £1 million after completing a stalled dam project themselves. Despite a seven-year planning process and successfully securing the funding, the Czech Republic's plans to build a new dam in the Brdy region came to a standstill as authorities struggled to acquire building permits. However, it was the arrival of eight hard-working beavers that finally got the job done. Speaking to Radio Prague, Jaroslav Obermajer, the head of the Central Bohemian office of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency, said: 'Beavers always know best.' Using their powerful incisors, the semi-aquatic rodents fell trees to create wetland areas – known as 'beaver ponds' – which they then use as sources of food and protection from predators. The human project had aimed to restore the area to its natural state, decades after soldiers at a military base built a bypass gully which had drained the area. According to the Brdy Protected Land Administration (PLA), which was managing the human project, the beavers constructed dams in almost the same spots that constructions were planned. 'The beavers beat [us] to it, saving us CZK 30 million (£994,000),' said Bohumil Fišer, the Brdy PLA chief. 'They built the dams without any project documentation and for free.' Ecologists tasked with inspecting the dams have said they will last a long time and create good conditions for the rare stone crayfish, frogs, and other species that thrive on wetlands. 'We are already seeing the emergence of a small pond and surrounding wetland there,' the PLA said in a statement, adding that the eight beavers were still hard at work creating new wetlands. Beavers are 'ecosystem engineers' meaning they modify their environment to create resources, and their dams can stretch for miles. The largest beaver dam recorded is in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, stretching the length of seven football fields – so big it is even visible from space. In another case, when beavers built dams on the property of a large stormwater treatment facility in Oregon, scientists discovered that the animals' structures were able to filter out heavy metals and other pollutants about twice as effectively as the human-built structures. 'Beaver wetlands are a paradise for many animals and plants. They are stable ecosystems that contribute to the diversity of our landscape,' said the PLA. 'Beavers are returning the landscape altered by humans to its natural beauty.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
